Dwarka, Aug 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) Gujarat Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) president Isudan Gadhvi began an indefinite protest in Khambhalia on Saturday, demanding that the state government declare drought in parts of Saurashtra, Kutch and North Gujarat following four consecutive weeks of inadequate rainfall and provide relief to affected farmers.
The opposition party initiated the agitation after its deadline for a government declaration ended on Saturday.
The AAP had announced the agitation in advance, saying farmers would gather in Khambhalia town of Devbhumi Dwarka, if the government did not act.
"The party's demands included declaring drought in the affected areas, providing adequate fodder assistance to gaushalas, releasing water from dams under the SAUNI scheme for irrigation, and waiving electricity bills for farmers in drought-affected areas," he said.
Speaking to the media, Gadhvi said Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar and Porbandar, along with parts of Kutch and Saurashtra, had received very little rainfall.
He said the government should provide water and irrigation facilities to farmers but had so far not declared the affected areas as drought-hit.
“I had given an ultimatum that the declaration should be made by the 29th (Saturday), failing which we would launch a Satyagraha,” Gadhvi said.
He said Devbhumi Dwarka was among the worst-affected areas and that AAP MLA Hemant Khava and party leaders Manoj Sorathia and Pravin Ram, along with farmer leaders, had decided to organise the protest.
Gadhvi claimed that a large number of farmers had voluntarily joined the protest. He said the situation had become difficult even for farmers to obtain groceries on credit, as traders were aware of the poor rainfall and the resulting impact on agriculture.
“The condition of farmers is extremely poor,” he said, adding that the approaching Janmashtami festival had also left farmers facing financial difficulties.
According to Gadhvi, only around 25 percent of the seeds sown by farmers had germinated, while the remaining crop had failed.
He said even the surviving crop required irrigation water and that many farmers were unable to pay their electricity bills.
“Our team discussed that instead of merely raising the voice of farmers through television, now that farmers are facing difficulties, I too have to become a participant in those difficulties,” he said.
As of Saturday, the latest IMD daily weather report presents a mixed picture. Rainfall was recorded at a few places in South Gujarat during the 24 hours ending 8:30 a.m, but North Gujarat and the Saurashtra-Kutch region, including Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar and Porbandar, remained dry during that period.
-- IANS
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Source: IANS
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