YSR Congress workers led by former MLA Vangaveeti Radhakrishna staged a dharna in front of the Vijayawada Irrigation Circle Superintending Engineer (SE) demanding that plates welded to the crest gates of Prakasam Barrage be removed. The activists were allowed to enter the premises and go near the SE’s office only after Mr Radhakrishna entered the scene. “The Prakasam Barrage is not the property of any one person. It is the property of everyone,” said a placard. The party workers are alleging that the height of the crest gates has been increased for the benefit of LANCO power plant. The water would flow to the power plant by gravity only of the water height was more then 12 feet. Mr Radhakrishna told the Irrigation officials that the proposal to raise the height of the crest gates were not in the original project and it was introduced later to benefit the LANCO Power project.
The irrigation officials told Mr Radhakrishna that the welding of a plate was in the project from the beginning. It was meant to prevent the spilling of water over the gate by wave action.
