TRIVANDRUM, 23 March 2004 — Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony yesterday ended his four-day tour to the areas worst hit by acute drought promising more aid to the farmers.
The chief minister began his tour last week from Wayanad, where crop destruction and debt trap have forced at least five farmers to commit suicide over the past two weeks.
Antony said the government has sanctioned two billion rupees for immediate disbursal. “The government will take necessary measures, if there is any need of more economic assistance,” he said.
Besides acute drinking water shortage and agricultural loss, the unprecedented drought has also taken a heavy toll on the state’s economy with the domestic trade and exports dropping alarmingly. Price of water has also increased beyond imagination
The chief minister said the state was ready to do everything possible but it could not do much without federal assistance.
When the state approached federal government for Rs. 13.59-billion emergency drought relief, it got only Rs. 490 million.
According to preliminary estimates, domestic trade has come down by six percent while export of agricultural products slumped by 10 percent.
Meat production came down by 30 percent and a shortage of 300,000 liters of milk is reported every day.
Planners fear the worst as summer has only just begun and summer showers play truant. As the heat wave spreads, forest fires have also become rampant.
