Farmer makes YSR see the light

Source from:  The Times of India 05/24/2004

HYDERABAD: A small farmer from Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s Pulivendula constituency brought home to the chief minister the fact that his much-touted relief package for farmers has not reached the ears of the people it is supposed to save. Neck deep in debt, dryland farmer Narapa Reddy contemplated suicide after his 11th borewell dried up and his sweet lime orchard withered away. But he decided to make one last attempt to keep his head above water: he decided to pay a visit to fellow townsman Rajasekhara Reddy to pour out his woes. He did so on Friday and made the chief minister realise that his helplines and relief packages have remained unknown to farmers. Though the relief package was announced four days ago, no notification or GO has yet been sent to the district authorities. Coming amidst the flurry of suicides by farmers across the state, these revelation spurred the administration to get going. It also earned Narapa Reddy a bit advice from the chief minister: “Don’t do anything rash. Go back to your village. Tomorrow, your RDO and other officials will visit your home and settle all your debts,’’ Rajasekhara Reddy told the smallholder. Stunned by the surge of suicides, the chief minister on Friday ordered district collectors get helplines going quickly and appealed to various sections to join the rescue mission. “I appeal to sarpanchs, village secretaries, voluntary organisations and the media to popularise the helplines and help bring to the notice of RDOs potential suicide cases,” he said at a press meet. In response to a suggestion from mediapersons, the chief minister asked officials to set up a tollfree number in Hyderabad , in addition to the district-specific numbers. The chief minister said he did not really understand why so many suicides were coming to the notice of the government now, “but there is no doubt that the previous government refused to accept the reality of farmers’ suicides.” Another death Vijayawada : Suicides by farmers continued on Friday in the state with reports about a tobacco farmer Jasti Purnachandra Rao (65) reportedly killing himself at Ponnavaram village in Krishna district. Enditem