The Hindu Business Line : AP Cong MLAs call off fast

THE three Congress MLAs and five others on an indefinite hunger strike at Machilipatnam, the Krishna district headquarters town, called off the fast on Thursday.

They had been on hunger strike since Saturday demanding release of more water to save the standing paddy crop in the Krishna delta.

The Irrigation Secretary, Mr P.V.S.K. Sarma, held talks with the Congress leaders and others here on Wednesday night and assured them that in accordance with the Bachchawat Tribunal award, 80 TMC feet of water would be released to the delta and water release would be regulated to save the standing crop.

It was also agreed that for three days from now on, water would be reserved to the fields in the tail-end areas of the delta to revive the withering crop.

Later on, water would be released on a rotation basis. Taskforce teams would be formed with revenue, police and irrigation officials to regulate and monitor the release.

Mr M. Buddha Prasad, the convener of the Krishna Delta Protection Committee and the Congress MLA who had called off the hunger strike, said the Government should own responsibility for the present crisis in the 150-year-old delta.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication

Stories in this Section
Banks see scope in `organic' label

Nabard sanctions Rs 59 cr

`Pesticides use in farm sector not beyond safety limit'

Downtrend in rubber market

Tea industry rules out output cut

Teaserve to facilitate `cheap credit' for sellers

AP Cong MLAs call off fast

Anti-subsidy duty on cotton from US, EU mooted

SC ruling on paddy puts Centre, UP Govt in a bind

Monetisation of rural economy behind farmers' suicides?