Hyderabad: Union minister of state for home affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Wednesday questioned the state govt’s criteria for identifying drought-affected mandals, alleging that several mandals with rainfall deficits of up to 35% had been excluded from the list.He alleged that the Karimnagar parliamentary constituency had been unfairly treated, with several mandals in Huzurabad, Husnabad, Vemulawada, Sircilla, Manakondur and Choppadandi assembly constituencies facing severe drought conditions but finding no place on the list.Sanjay said agricultural fields had turned barren and people were struggling to access drinking water, but the govt had failed to address their plight. He questioned whether the constituency had been deliberately excluded to avoid spending funds on drought relief.He said the severity of the situation would become evident if officials visited affected areas and interacted directly with farmers.Demanding a white paper, Sanjay asked the govt to disclose the criteria and official data used to identify drought-affected mandals. He said rainfall recorded in one mandal could not be used to assess conditions in neighbouring mandals.He called for separate assessments of rainfall deficits, cultivated area, crop losses, soil moisture and groundwater levels in every mandal, with the findings made public.Sanjay also urged the govt to examine petitions and complaints from farmers in areas excluded from the survey and include all eligible mandals in the drought list.He demanded that the govt set aside political considerations, assess the situation based on ground realities, provide eligible farmers full compensation for crop losses and generate employment for the rural poor. He warned that the BJP would intensify its agitation in support of farmers if the govt failed to act.
