Farmers will be fully compensated: YSR

  • 05/05/2008

  • Hindu (New Delhi)

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy assured farmers ravaged by the fire accident at the Agricultural Market Yard premises on Saturday that the State Government was committed to give complete compensation to farmers. "Every paisa that they had lost would be accounted for and repaid after the process of identification of farmers and enumeration of loss is completed,' he said, addressing the farmers on Sunday at the yard. The Chief Minister accompanied by Finance Minister K. Rosaiah, Transport Minister Kanna Lakshminarayana, Minister for Women and Child Welfare N. Rajyalakshmi, Agricultural Market Committee Chairman Lella Appi Reddy and other Ministers, MLAs and district officials visited the yard. The Chief Minister's address was marred by sloganeering by farmers. When Mr. Reddy announced that the loss due to structural damage was about Rs.11 crore, some of the farmers mistook it and raised protests. Later, Mr. Reddy presided over a review meeting with officials and discussed the measures and long-term permanent measures to be taken. The Chief Minister announced the constitution of a five-member expert committee headed by State Marketing Commissioner Sukumara to probe the causes that led to the fire accident, identification of farmers and enumeration of the loss, alternative measures to continue trading of chillis and looking into the possibility of relocating the yard and constructing a world-class market yard. Probe panel The committee would consist of the Additional Director General of Fire Services Aruna Bahuguna, District Collector B. Venkatesham, Superintendent of Police Mahesh Chandra Laddha and Marketing Department Joint Director Nisar Ahmed. The committee would submit its report on May 7 and another committee consisting of a group of Ministers would study the recommendations.