- Farmers Face Acute Shortage as Protests intensify across Telangana
Article Today, Hyderabad:
CPI(M) State secretary John Wesley has accused the Union government of neglect in ensuring adequate urea supply to Telangana farmers. In a statement released on Tuesday, he said the kharif season had begun two months ago, but farmers had been forced to stage protests for over a month due to the shortage of urea.
Shortage Amid Kharif Season
Mr. Wesley pointed out that the Centre had failed to allocate sufficient quantities of fertiliser, creating distress among cultivators at a crucial time. He alleged that the shortage was being exploited to spread misleading propaganda by BJP leaders. According to him, such actions were aggravating the crisis rather than addressing farmers’ needs.
Reduction in Allocation
The CPI(M) leader claimed that Telangana required 9.8 lakh tonnes of urea, but the Centre had cut the quota by 1.5 lakh tonnes. Even the reduced allocation, he said, had not been delivered on time, leading to scarcity in several districts. Farmers were forced to wait in long queues outside cooperative societies and shops, with reports of stampedes in some places.
Black Market Concerns
Mr. Wesley further said that the shortage had pushed fertiliser into the black market. He criticised the Centre for ignoring repeated appeals from the State government, including requests to allocate supplies from the Ramagundam fertiliser plant. He added that the deliberate delay was worsening the hardship of farmers and fuelling profiteering.
Call for Action
The CPI(M) urged BJP MPs and Union Ministers from Telangana to exert pressure on the Central government to ensure immediate supply. Mr. Wesley stressed that farmers required timely support, and political leaders should stand by them during the crisis rather than engage in false campaigns.
