Crops Wither in Anantapur, Shailajanath Slams Govt Over Farmer Distress

With crops wilting amid a prolonged lack of rain and inadequate irrigation, YSR Congress Party leader and former minister Dr. Sake Shailajanath has criticised the coalition government for allegedly failing to address the distress of farmers in Anantapur district.

Shailajanath visited drought-hit agricultural fields in Nagalaguddam, West Narasapuram, Sodhanapalli and Narasapuram villages in Singanamala mandal along with local party leaders. He inspected fields where crops had dried up due to the shortage of water and interacted with farmers to understand their difficulties.

During the visit, farmers said they had invested heavily in cultivation, often borrowing money, only to see their crops dry up when they were nearing harvest. They also complained that neither local representatives nor officials had taken adequate steps to address their irrigation problems.

Shailajanath alleged that the government and officials were not conducting field-level assessments despite farmers facing mounting losses. He questioned why the administration had not intervened when crops were drying up in front of farmers and demanded immediate measures to support those affected.

He also said timely release of water to Singanamala tank could have helped farmers protect their crops. The former minister urged the government to conduct a comprehensive assessment of crop losses in the region and provide compensation to affected farmers without delay.

Farmers told Shailajanath that they had not received any compensation despite suffering significant losses. They appealed to the government to assess the damage at the earliest and take steps to provide financial relief.

The visit comes amid growing concerns among farmers in parts of Anantapur over water availability and crop losses, with affected cultivators seeking immediate government intervention to prevent further damage.