Power Cuts, Irrigation Crisis Push Palamuru Farmers to the Brink: BRS Leaders

Former minister and BRS leader V. Srinivas Goud has accused the Congress government of neglecting farmers as frequent power cuts and inadequate irrigation leave crops withering across Mahabubnagar district. He demanded compensation of Rs. 25,000 per acre for farmers who have suffered crop losses.

Srinivas Goud inspected damaged crops in Hanwada, Madaram, Komireddypally and Munimoksham villages in Hanwada mandal before staging a protest outside the Munimoksham substation. He said farmers had borrowed heavily to cultivate paddy but were now at risk of losing their investments because of unreliable electricity supply.

He pointed out that farmers spend between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 30,000 per acre on paddy cultivation. Despite water flowing through irrigation canals, inadequate supply was preventing it from reaching fields, he alleged. Fertiliser shortages, black-market sales and the alleged circulation of fake DAP fertiliser were adding to farmers' difficulties.

Srinivas Goud said the previous BRS government had helped reverse migration by creating better agricultural opportunities in the Palamuru region. However, he claimed that power shortages under the Congress government were once again forcing people to consider migrating. He urged the government to deploy IAS officer teams to assess crop damage and provide compensation. He also highlighted drinking water shortages affecting livestock and residents in several villages.

Meanwhile, former MLA Ala Venkateshwar Reddy led a farmers' march from Nijalapur village in Moosapet mandal, demanding the release of Krishna river water into Peddavagu stream in the Devarkadra constituency.

He alleged that the Congress government had failed to divert available water from the Srisailam reservoir to the stream. Recalling the BRS government's irrigation initiatives, he said the construction of 36 check dams and the diversion of Krishna water had improved groundwater levels and brought thousands of acres under cultivation.

Venkateshwar Reddy claimed that the check dams were now drying up even during the monsoon, while power shortages were disrupting the operation of motors under the Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme. He argued that timely diversion of Krishna floodwater could have prevented the crisis.

Questioning why crops were drying up in a district through which the Krishna flows, he accused the government of prioritising sand mining over farmers' interests. He also cited difficulties involving Rythu Bharosa, crop insurance, fertiliser availability, procurement and electricity supply, and demanded the immediate release of Krishna water into Peddavagu to save standing crops.