Tension in Madakasira as TD team\'s visit to drought-hit areas stalled by police

Anantapur: A tense situation prevailed at Madakasira town in Satya Sai district on Monday night after the police resisted the visit of a group of TD leaders to the drought-hit fields there.

A group of leaders led by TD politburo member Kalava Srinivasulu tried to reach TD incharge G Thippeswamy’s residence at Adireddypalem area. Police forcibly detained them at the local police station. The TD cadres staged a protest.

Former ministers Kalava Srinivasulu, Palle Raghunath Reddy, Satya Sai district convener BK Parthasarathi, TD incharge Gundumala Thippeswamy and several other leaders staged the protest in front of the police station. They had their lunch on the road while the protest lasted more than 3 hours.

A state-level team of TD leaders led by Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy and others has been visiting the fields in Anantapur and Satya Sai districts to collect information on the drought conditions there and the failure of the government to uplift farmers.

Chandramohan Reddy demanded that the government immediately give a relief to the farmers by a payment of Rs 25,000 per acre to groundnut and Rs 50,000 to mirchi crops.

“Though, 470 mandals were badly hit due to the drought, the government announced only 103 mandals as drought-affected. The government had not paid the necessary insurance policy amount to the companies, which led to additional loss for farmers,” he observed.

TD politburo member Kalava Srinvasulu alleged that YSRC Rayalaseema regional coordinator Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy forcibly diverted Handri Neeva Sujala Shravanthi project water to Punaganur instead of releasing water to meet the drinking water needs of Anantapur and Satya Sai districts.

He said that none of YSRC MLAs dared to resist the act of Peddireddy Ramachandra. He demanded that the irrigation authorities stop diversion of HNSS water to Punganur and instead release water to the canals and reservoirs in the area.