TIRUPATI: Telugu Desam (TD) politburo member Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy accused agriculture minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy of destroying local tanks from which he was illegally extracting soil and making money in Sarvepalli Assembly constituency.
Chandramohan Reddy visited the collectorate in Nellore on Monday and submitted a memorandum to officials, expressing deep concerns.
Later, speaking to reporters, the former minister claimed Govardhan Reddy has been extracting soil from tanks stretching from Kodur to Kanupur.
The Kanupur tank, built during the British regime, has witnessed soil extraction reaching 15 lakh cubic meters, a significant increase from the previous 70,000 cubic meters, after the YSR Congress party assumed power. He alleged that this has been made possible by misusing Government Order (GO) No 2026, which was intended to benefit farmers, who could use the soil in their agricultural fields.
“While private individuals typically pay Rs 231 per cubic meter of soil, the ruling party leaders pay only Re 1 and then transport the soil to layouts. This practice has resulted in several fatalities, while digging soil and gravel pit”, he said while pointing out to the death of six youth in Thoderu tank and another incident where a seven-year-old child fell into the Chakali tank in Venkatachalam mandal.
The TD leader demanded a thorough investigation into the alleged misuse of GO No 2026 in Sarvepalli constituency. He also criticized some officials whose criticisms have hurt farmers.
