ALL EARS: CPI(M) floor leader Nomula Narasimhaiah interacting with flood-hit weavers at Chirala on Saturday - Photo: Sreenivas Kommuri

ONGOLE: CPI(M) floor leader in the Assembly Nomula Narasimhaiah has squarely blamed the State Government for failing to maintain the bunds of irrigation canals and drains leading to floods which caused damages to crops and roads and untold hardship to people living in coastal areas.

Mr. Narasimhaiah visited flood-hit mandals of Chirala, Karamchedu, Perchoor and Inkollu on Saturday.

Later speaking to newspersons here, he said that damages were caused more due to negligence of the government than natural calamity.

Loss of employment

Had the Government spent Rs. 10 crores on strengthening of bunds, there would have been no breaches to drains and canals and flooding of the areas, he contended. Similarly, had the Government spent Rs. 5 crores to provide better houses to handloom weavers, their houses would not have been marooned and they would not have lost employment for 15-30 days.

It was unfortunate that people were suffering for want of basic repairs in Chirala constituency represented by Finance Minister K. Rosaiah.

Mr. Narasimhaiah exhorted Mr. Rosaiah to get necessary funds for permanent repairs to canals and drains so that such tragedies would not recur.

Mr. Narasimhaiah found fault with the Central Government for taking only cursory look at the flood-hit areas without making in-depth study of the problem to suggest permanent solution to it.

Farmers' plight

He demanded that the Government increase the compensation for crop loss from Rs. 750 to Rs. 5,000 per acre and waive crop loans of small and marginal farmers. He said several complaints were received over distribution of 20 kg rice and five litres kerosene to the affected families.

The relief should have been provided under the supervision of all-party committee to avoid such complaints, he felt.

Mr. Narasimhaiah saw chilli farmers uprooting their crop rotten due to flooding in Inkollu mandal.

Farmers complained that officials did not enumerate their loss on the pretext that the crop looked green.

Handloom weavers of Avvaru Colony showed empty kerosene tins to complain that they had not received the promised relief till date.

Farmers of Gavinipalem complained that they could not cultivate crop on 5,000 acres under lift irrigation scheme.

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