Farmers' hard work going to waste as govt ill-prepared to meet bumper kuruvai, says EPS
Claiming that he had repeatedly warned the government for the past two months, both through statements and calling-attention motions in the Assembly, that the bumper kuruvai harvest was at grave risk unless procurement and storage were taken up on a war-footing, he alleged "the government did nothing and now the harvests of countless farmers lie wasted."
Edappadi K Palaniswami (IANS)
CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday once again criticised the DMK government for its "continued negligence" in procuring paddy from Delta farmers. He charged that the government's failure has resulted in lakhs of paddy bags being left in the open to rot and germinate in the rains.
Claiming that he had repeatedly warned the government for the past two months, both through statements and calling-attention motions in the Assembly, that the bumper kuruvai harvest was at grave risk unless procurement and storage were taken up on a war-footing, he alleged "the government did nothing and now the harvests of countless farmers lie wasted."
Stating that those who toiled through the season, taking loans to cultivate, are left in despair and desolation, Palaniswami said when he personally toured Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam districts to meet farmers and inspect procurement centres. "What I witnessed was heart-wrenching — heaps of germinated paddy left outside collection centres, no space in godowns, and no urgency in procurement," he alleged.
The Leader of the Opposition pointed out that DMK ministers were "infuriated" that he had visited the Delta and highlighted the crisis facing the farmers. Instead of taking corrective steps, they are turning to lies, he said.
