Ex-MP cum veteran communist leader Bhubneshwar Prasad Mehta has demanded to declare Jharkhand draught-hit and to start relief measures at war footing to save the peasants, poor and cattle.
Talking to media persons at Hazaribagh, Mehta said that the situation is leading towards famine and if the Government does not start relief measures soon then his party CPI will start agitation in entire State.
BP Mehta said that the condition of poor peasants is very bad and if they will not get assistance from Government then many will die in the days to come. Many peasants had taken loan from different sources with a hope that this time they will get good paddy crop but their dreams got shattered due to less rain fall in August and September. Now they have left their cattle’s in the paddy field to graze the dying plants.
Jharkhand is a State where most of the farmers depend on monsoon because there is no alternative source of irrigation has been developed here by the Government.
Mehta said that it is the high time to look into the pending irrigation projects of the state as it will not only help the peasants to survive in such type of weather conditions but also provide jobs to the poor peasants presently.
Ex-MP Mehta said that on October 9, their party CPI is going to organise a Dharnaat Ranchi on this issue. Through this dharna they will demand distribution of free seeds to the drought hit peasants for coming rabi season, free ration to physically handicapped and poor, speeding up the MNREGA works etc.