NIZAMABAD: Farmers from Manchippa in Mopal mandal of Nizamabad district staged a protest against the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation works on Friday. They organised a vanta varpu (community kitchen) programme in large numbers and demanded cancellation of the re-design of Manchippa reservoir works.
Police rushed to the village and took into custody BJP leader G. Srinivas, which was vehemently opposed by the villagers.
The protesters then reached Kaleshwaram lift irrigation works camp office and staged a protest.
The farmers said that it was during the Congress government that the Dr B.R. Ambedkar Pranahita-Chevella lift irrigation scheme of 21, 22 packages had started in their area and the Manchippa reservoir capacity was proposed to increase to 1.5 thuosand million cubic feet (tmc ft). After renaming it as Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme, the reservoir capacity was redesigned to increase it to 3 tmc ft, they said.
The redesign would submerge three villages, nine tribal thandas, 12,000 acres of agriculture land and 8,000 acres forest land, they said. Around 14,000 people will be rendered homeless, they said.
