TRS men sell tank silt to brick makers, says Telugu Desam

Hyderabad: Mission Kakatiya has come as a blessing in disguise for farmers and brick manufacturers among others. And what was being seen as a problem — silt — is turning into a gift for some

It is learnt that a large number of brick manufacturers who otherwise take land on lease to manufacture bricks got a windfall from Mission Kakatiya as they are getting a large quantity of silt free.

Data of silt excavated from various tanks is yet to be compiled, but one tank, Pathacheruvu, in Sadashivnagar, Yellareddy mandal of Nizamabad district, has generated 25,000 tractor trips of silt so far. The lake covers 90 acres.

“One tractor carries 2 cubic metres of silt, and 25,000 trips means 50,000 cubic metres of silt. Most of the silt has been taken by farmers followed by others,” Mr Sridhar Deshpande, OSD to irrigation minister T. Harish Rao said.

Asked whether brick manufacturers were queuing up for silt, he said farmers were the first priority, followed by others.

“A large number of farmers have come forward to take the silt. If and when farmers don’t need it, we give to others like brick manufacturers,” Mr Deshpande said.

However, Telugu Desam former MLA Dayakar Reddy of Mahbubnagar district and former Congress government whip Anil Kumar of Nizamabad alleged that most of the silt is being picked up by brick manufacturers. “It has come as boon to them. Some TRS leaders are also trying to make a fast buck by giving silt to them,” alleged Mr Dayakar Reddy.

Mr Sridhar said they were getting reports of silt taken from the tank where Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had launched Mission Kakatiya on March 12.

About 1,800 tanks are being cleaned up out of 9,577 in the first phase.