Nellore: Political leaders usually avoid spending out of their own pockets to address the needs of the people. However, in a rare gesture, a young and first-time legislator of the YSR Congress Mekapati Gowtham Reddy went out of his way and spent Rs 17 lakh from his own funds to desilt an irrigation canal to save 1,500 acres of standing crop in Anantasagaram mandal of Atmakur constituency recently.
Interestingly, he did not seek any publicity for his actions, unlike his peers who crave limelight even for petty activities. Mr Reddy said that he took the initiative after he noticed the crops withering due to water shortage. “It is a time consuming process if we want the government to carry out the work. Moreover, being an opposition legislator, it is not an easy job to mobilise government funds. Also, the farmers were in urgent need of water for their standing crops.
“Although the estimated cost was running into nearly Rs 20 lakh, I have decided to go ahead because any delay could affect the farmers badly,” Mr Reddy said. “In a way, it is showing our gratitude to the people of the Assembly segment. What farmers want is favourable weather and water for their crops. The weather is not in our hands, but we had some resources to provide water and I merely carried out the task,” said Mr Reddy.
Referring to the availability of MP local area development funds of his father and Nellore MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy for the purpose, he said that there was no time to wait and the fund can be utilised for the needy elsewhere. He added that he is indebted to the people of Atmakur constituency as they stood behind him during the recent general election and the majority secured in the segment helped his father also to win.
“In a way it is showing our gratitude to the people of the assembly segment. What farmers want is favourable weather and water for crops. Weather is not in our hands but we had little resources to provide water and I merely carried out the task,” said a modest Gowtham Reddy.
According to Reddy the major problem in Atmakur segment is water for both drinking and irrigation although Somasila project is located in the constituency itself since 90 percent of the water serves the irrigation needs of mandals in the downstream of Pennar river. “My target is to mobilise funds for the projects such as Somasila High Level Canal and Somasila North Canal since the previous government already gave administrative sanction, “he added.
