Farmers lay siege to HLC office

Anantapur: Tense situation prevailed at Tungabhadra HLMC (High Level Main Canal) superintendent Engineer’s office here on Thursday after the farmers led by the CPI, TD and YSR Congress ransacked the office demanding release of water to 49 tanks under PABR (Penna Ahobilum Balancing Reservoir) in the district to meet drinking water needs.

The farmers damaged furniture and window panes and locked the doors of the SE office during the protest. Addressing the protesters, CPI district secretary K. Jagadish accused the government of diverting assured allocation of PABR water to Kadapa district through mid pennar reservoir.

“Instead of meeting drinking water needs of dry areas like Rapthadu, Dharmavaram and Uravakonda in the district, the authorities were giving priority to Kadapa district,” Jagadish alleged.
YSRC leader Chandrasekhar Reddy and TD leader C. Obi Reddy observed the irrigation authorities were bow down to pressures from other districts instead of justifying drought-hit areas. The irrigation authorities were neglecting to protect rights of PABR farmers.

“Though farmers were assured 10 tmc ft water from PABR, the government had never made efforts to ensure releasing of water as per the GO,” they alleged.

The activists continued protest demanding clear assurance from SE to release water from PABR to the tanks. However, the activists called off protest after the HLMC executive engineer Dhananjay assured to release water in a day.