Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur   

Farmers attack canal engineers

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR, JAN. 11. The dispute between farmers of Tadipatri Rural and Putlur mandals over the utilisation of Tungabhadra High Level Canal (HLC) water for irrigation and drinking water needs, turned violent on Monday when a section of farmers allegedly attacked the engineers.

Though nobody was injured, the vehicle of the engineers was damagedin the attack with sticks and stones. Police arrested two farmers later.

The District Collector, Y.V. Anuradha, along with HLC engineers, had gone to Raavi Venkatampalli village in Tadipatri Rural mandal to settle the dispute between the farmers and people of Tadipatri Rural and Putlur mandals.

Tanks to get water

After discussions, it was agreed that the Putlur and Komatikuntla tanks would be released HLC water stored in Subbaraya Sagar till the level reached to 306.5 metres from the present 309.7 metres, for the drinking water needs of Putlur mandal.

Later, the remaining water would be released to the ayacut under the 2nd to 7th distributaries of the Tadipatri Branch Canal, a sub-system of HLC, till it reached the dead storage level in the reservoir.

When the HLC engineers were following the Collector's vehicle, seven farmers of Yerraguntapalli requested for lift mid-way and boarded the vehicle.

The farmers allegedly began abusing the engineers for letting Putlur utilise the water first. After alighting the vehicle at Yerraguntapalli, the farmers tried to pull the engineers out. Suspecting trouble, the driver sped off.

But, the farmers allegedly attacked the jeep with sticks and stones.The Collector called up the Tadipatri Rural MRO, Bala Brahmam immediately and directed him to rush to Yerraguntapalli with the SIs of Putlur, K.M. Prasad, and Tadipatri Rural, Mahabub Basha.

On a complaint lodged by the engineer, Gandhi, the police arrested two farmers.

It was latter learnt by the police that all the seven farmers who had boarded the engineers' vehicle were illegal ayacutdars of TBC.

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