With a demand to pay compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre of crop damaged due to heavy rains and flood, the farmers staged a dharna in front of office of the joint director of the agriculture department here on Tuesday. The farmers under the joint aegis of AP Kowlu Rythula Sangham and the AP Rytu Sangham also demanded that the government register names of tenant farmers while preparing crop loss list. The agitators staged a demonstration by displaying the samples of damaged crop. They raised slogans against the officials who declared no loss to the crop. Speaking on the occasion, AP Rytu Sangham upland district secretary Srinivas said that crops in an extent of one lakh acres were damaged due to heavy rains. Tammileru, Yerrakalva and Godavari river created havoc. Tenant farmers were getting raw deal in enumeration of the crop loss, he lamented. He alleged that officials had failed to take into consideration the crop loss caused in hundreds of acres due to breach to Tammileru at Madepalli in Eluru mandal. The agitators submitted a memorandum to the Joint Director, Gousia Begum and requested her to take proper action. Farmers’ representatives V Rama Rao, David, Suryanarayana and others were present. Source - http://www.thehansindia.com