Congress MP A. Revanth Reddy along with AICC Secretary Sampath Kumar and former MP Mallu Ravi were arrested while they were on their way to visit the submerged pump house of Kalwakurthy LIP at Yellur village on Saturday.
Tension prevailed as the Congress leaders were stopped near Telakapalli stating there was no permission even as the leaders argued under what rules they were being prevented. As Congress cadres swelled up protesting against the refusal to allow the visit, police tried to arrest the leaders.
Mr. Revanth Reddy sustained injuries on the shin of both the legs as police tried to forcibly take him into custody. They were shifted to Talakapalli police station in Nagarkurnool district.
Speaking at the police station, Mr. Reddy alleged that the submergence was reflection of the corruption and deliberate ignorance of safety practices and blamed CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao for it.
He demanded that only an inquiry by sitting judge of the High Court can bring out the negligence of the State government, given the magnanimity of the loss and the favours extended to some contractors. “Any inquiry by government officials will be an eyewash,” he added.
Uttam blames CM
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said at a press conference that an expert committee, constituted by the present government, had submitted a report on June 20, 2016, making several recommendations for the safety of the pump house.
However, the State government ignored the recommendations and carried out underground works of Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project within 400-metre radius of KLIP pump house.
He said those explosions led to the submergence of the pump house inundating 10 out of its 14 floors within 20 minutes.
He claimed that the incident, resulting in loss of property worth thousands of crores, was a man-made mistake. He said the CM should accept the responsibility for the entire damage as he also holds the Irrigation portfolio.
The TPCC chief alleged that the irrigation projects in Telangana were filling the pockets of TRS leaders with cash from the commission they were getting from the contractors. He alleged that sub-standard and inferior quality works were done in Kaleshwaram, Mid Maniar and Kondapochamma projects and they were getting affected.
TPCC working president Ponnam Prabhakar demanded the intervention of the Central government to probe into the quality of works in the irrigation projects constructed by the TRS regime.
BJP national vice-president D.K. Aruna too was arrested at Pebbair while she was on her way to the site.
