Jagtial: A late Friday evening leakage in the MB pipeline laid near the purchasing centres in Buggaram resulted in at least 60 of 375 quintals of food grains going down the drain. They were swept away into the nearby Sriramsagar Project (SRSP) canal.
Although, the farmers immediately informed the officials, they arrived late. Another 200 quintals were soaked.
Unfortunately, this was not an isolated instance given that farmers are bearing the brunt for quite some time now.
It is almost an everyday heartburn. Leak-ages from pipelines, low-standards works, damaged roads and drainage canals along with dug but uncovered roads in the name of Mission Bhagiratha project have become commonplace in Jagtial district.
The farmers are not fault. They seem accursed. They allege “After a lot of hard work in the fields despite hardships, we produced food grains. However, officials rather than buy our produce straightaway have asked us to dry them first. See what has befallen us. The leakage rendered a part of the produce non-remunerative while the remaining stock has become wet because of water leakage.”
A farmer said, “Now, who will bear this loss and who is responsible for this in the first place-officials at purchasing centre, Mission Bhagiratha or the contractors who did not maintain high standard works.”
The worried farmers criticised the officials for not taking action against contractors, whose negligence and inept handling has led to such a crisis.
They staged a dharna following which Mission Bhagiratha officials assured the farmers that they would pay `1,20,000 for the produce that was washed away. They also reassured that they would purchase the food grains that had become wet without keeping MSP rate restrictions.
