Lightning Strike Kills 30 Sheep in Nagar Kurnool, Minister Announces Relief

A sudden lightning strike in the outskirts of Enabetla village in Kolhapur mandal of Nagar Kurnool district claimed the lives of 30 sheep on Saturday, while the shepherd narrowly escaped unhurt. The incident occurred during unseasonal weather conditions that have been affecting parts of the region.

Soon after the incident was reported, Telangana Forest and Environment Minister Jupally Krishna Rao visited the affected farmer and consoled him. Expressing concern over the loss, the Minister directed officials to extend immediate assistance and sanctioned ₹50,000 as interim relief to support the affected family.

During his visit, the Minister assured that the government would stand firmly with livestock farmers facing natural calamities and that further compensation would be processed as per norms.

Later, the Minister visited the agricultural market yard in Kollapur town , where he examined large quantities of paddy and maize stocks damaged due to recent unseasonal rains . He interacted with farmers at the site, taking stock of difficulties related to procurement delays and storage constraints.

Farmers reportedly raised concerns about moisture damage and delays in lifting stocks from procurement centres. The Minister assured them that affected grain was being shifted to warehouses under the supervision of district authorities and that efforts were underway to prevent further losses.

Speaking on the broader procurement situation, the Minister said the government was taking all necessary steps to ensure smooth procurement operations across the state. He noted that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is personally monitoring the paddy procurement process.

He also highlighted that higher-than-expected maize production had led to storage shortages, prompting the use of alternative arrangements such as private warehouses, cotton godowns, and even temporary storage facilities.

Criticising the pace of procurement at the national level despite the announcement of Minimum Support Price (MSP), he said farmers were facing avoidable financial stress due to operational gaps. The state government, however, would continue to purchase grain even at higher market costs to protect farmers’ interests, he added.

Local officials and public representatives accompanied the Minister during the inspection.