Stepping up its agitation against the land acquisition policy of the TRS government, Congress party has vowed to stand by the residents of villages, whose lands are being acquired for the Mallannasagar reservoir.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Leader of Opposition in Council Md. Ali Shabbir and several other leaders participated in a day-long dharna organised by Marri Sashidhar Reddy, chairman of Forum for Godavari Water Utilisation here at Indira Park on Sunday.
Addressing the protestors, Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that even though there was potential to construct Pranahita Chevella lift irrigation project on technical grounds, the State government decided to go ahead with a lift irrigation scheme at Kaleswaram. He wondered why the government was going ahead with the construction of Mallannasagar reservoir with 50 tmc ft capacity when a sump house was enough. He questioned why the government was hell bent on acquiring land ignoring the provisions of the Central Act. He said the Congress party would not keep quiet if the farmers were made to suffer on account of ‘forcible’ land acquisition.
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Mr. Shabbir said it was insane on part of the State government to allow submergence of fertile land which yields two crops. He said Vemulaghat and other areas which are proposed to be submerged have yielded good crop during last rabi and kharif seasons. He said that the Congress party fully supports the agitation by outsees of the Mallannasagar project.
Meanwhile, the TPCC chief along with a delegation of party leaders would be calling on Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on Monday and submit a memorandum highlighting the undemocratic measures being pursued by the government in land acquisition. Later, the party leaders would join the agitating farmers of Vemulaghat to express solidarity and address a rally in Gajwel.
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