Central team visits cyclone-affected areas in Krishna and Bapatla districts
Vijayawada: The Inter-Ministerial Central Team inspected the paddy fields in Kankipadu, Pamarru, and Gudivada mandals of Krishna district and Inturu and Govarada of Bapatla district on Wednesday.
The team was headed by the executive director of the National Institute of Disaster Management, Rajendra Ratnoo. The team viewed a photo exhibition on crop damage and interacted with farmers at the YSR Rythu Bharosa Kedram in Kankipadu.
Joint collector Aparajitha Singh explained the agriculture and horticulture crop damage due to the cyclone. The R & B Road, Panchayat Raj roads, and electricity lines were also damaged by the cyclone.
She stated that as per a primary assessment, the paddy crop in 1,01,862 hectares was lost due to the cyclone. Horticulture crop in 913.62 hectares was also lost.
Some 57 R & B roads stretching about 312.23 km and six roads of about 17.16 km were damaged, she added.
The central team later proceeded to Pamarru and Gudivada to see damaged paddy crops. Penamaluru MLA Kolusu Pardhasaradhi and Pamarru MLA Kaile Anil explained the damage caused to farms by the cyclone.
The Andhra Pradesh Samyukta Kisan Morcha (APSKM) has urged the central team to enhance the quantum of input subsidy to Rs 10,000 per acre, postponement of the recovery of crop loans payable to cooperative and commercial banks, loan waiver for outstanding dues, and a Rs 10 lakh compensation to the families of those who died due to the cyclone impact.
Finance ministry assistant director Mahendra Chendelia and NHAI, roads and transport SE Rakesh Kumar noted down the details of crop and road damage.
Krishna District Agriculture Advisory Board chairman J. Raghava Rao, agriculture officer N. Padmavathi, district civil supplies officer D. Raju, horticulture officer G. Jyothi, and other officials were present.
