Amaravati, Oct 26 (IANS) In view of the cyclone in the Bay of Bengal, the YSR Congress Party has postponed its statewide rallies scheduled for October 28 to protest against the privatisation of government medical colleges.

The party announced on Sunday that these rallies will now be held on November 4.

Former Chief Minister and YSRCP President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has appealed to the people in cyclone-affected areas to remain alert and take necessary precautions as cyclone Montha approaches.

He urged YSRCP leaders, cadres, and volunteers to actively assist local communities by extending support in precautionary measures, relief, and rehabilitation activities wherever required.

Meanwhile, former minister and senior YSRCP leader Kakani Govardhan Reddy has accused the Chandrababu Naidu government of gross negligence and complete inaction in the wake of the impending cyclone, particularly with regard to the welfare of farmers.

He said that while farmers across Nellore, Kurnool, and Ongole districts are facing devastation due to heavy rains, the government has neither issued any warnings nor taken preventive measures to protect their livelihoods.

Govardhan Reddy pointed out that after the recent paddy transplantation, there has been a severe shortage of urea, and the government failed to set up procurement centres, forcing farmers to wait helplessly as their crops were washed away in sudden downpours.

“In Nellore district alone, over 2 lakh acres of crops have been damaged, while another 1 lakh acres in Kurnool, Ongole, and surrounding areas remain inundated,” he said, questioning whether the Minister for Agriculture is even functioning or aware of the farmers’ plight.

He noted that mango and cotton farmers have already suffered heavy losses, and now, with the latest rains, nearly 50,000 acres of additional crops have been destroyed. Maize farmers, he said, incurred losses of nearly Rs 12,000 per acre, while the paddy farmers in Krishna and Godavari deltas face severe threats due to the cyclone. Despite widespread destruction, there has been no announcement of compensation or relief from the government, Govardhan said.

“Chandrababu Naidu neither understands farmers nor values agriculture,” he remarked, alleging that Naidu has not held a single review meeting on the agriculture sector since taking office.

“He insulted tomato and onion farmers when they struggled with market crashes. During Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tenure, no farmer ever suffered due to a lack of urea. But today, the Naidu government has deliberately dismantled the farmer-friendly RBKs (Rythu Bharosa Kendras), ignored input subsidies, and turned the Agriculture Department into a den of brokers and middlemen,” he said.

–IANS

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