With five farmers dying on a single day in the last week in Anantapur district and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) being unflinching in its string of protests cornering the government, it is learnt that the government has directed Ministers from the district to come out with a strategy to blunt the opposition while reducing the negativity amongst farmers towards the government. However, the climatic conditions and the sixth consecutive drought year, in spite of the fact that quite a few tanks were supplied water from the HNSS project positively affecting the water table in a few villages, have not made the task easier as the suicide count of farmers has crossed the hundred mark, while tens of animals die everyday owing to lack of fodder and water, further deteriorating the economic conditions of farmers.
Examination blues
The week remained hectic in Chittoor district, with the start of SSC examinations immediately after the Intermediate examinations. In just two days of the schedule, as many as 12 students were debarred for resorting to malpractice. Large scale mass copying was reported in some centres at Puttur, Nagari, Karveti Nagaram and Satyavedu. Two invigilators were also suspended for their alleged connivance with students and parents. Unlike other districts in the State, the education officials here had pressed 20 flying and 20 sitting squads into service. However, the authorities could not provide desks to the candidates in more than 60 centres. In spite of hot summer, the number of candidates appearing for the SSC this year from the district remained constant, except for the absence of around 400 candidates out of 56,374.
(With inputs from
V.K. Rakesh Reddy
and K. Umashanker)