Rains damage crops over 2,200 hectares in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati, May 5 (IANS) Standing crops of paddy and maize in more than 2,200 hectares were damaged due to unseasonal rains that lashed Andhra Pradesh during the last two days, officials said.

Officials informed Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday that the standing crop of paddy and maize on 2,224 hectares got damaged due to the unseasonal rains. West Godavari, Nandyal, Kakinada, and Satya Sai districts were the worst affected.

About 15 mandals in West Godavari district were worst-hit with huge damage to paddy crop in 1,033 hectares, while in Nandyal, paddy got damaged in 641 hectares, on 530 hectares in Kakinada, and 20 hectares in Satya Sai district. The officials also gave the details of horticulture crop damage to the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister held a meeting at the State Secretariat with the officials of Agriculture and Disaster Management on the incessant rains that lashed the state for two days.

He directed officials to pay ex-gratia by Tuesday evening to farmers who suffered crop losses due to unseasonal rains.

The Chief Minister asked the officials to assess the crop damage immediately and see to it that every farmer who suffered crop loss get the ex-gratia from the state government.

He also directed them to pay compensation families of eight people who died due to lightning.

With the meteorologists forecasting more rain in some districts, the Chief Minister asked the district Collectors and other officials to be on alert. He was very particular that steps should be taken to ensure that there is no loss of life.

Special Secretary, Civil Supplies, Saurabh Gaur, informed the Chief Minister that a target has been set to purchase 20 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in the Rabi season, of which 13 lakh metric tonnes have already been purchased. He also said that steps will be taken to purchase the grain that got damaged due to the rains.

The Chief Minister, however, made it amply clear that at any cost, the grain from the farmers should be purchased. He said he will talk to the Centre and take necessary measures to purchase the grain if the stocks are surplus.

--IANS

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