MAKING A POINT: Panchayat Raj Minister J.C. Diwakar Reddy (left) listening to CPI leader K. Ramakrishna near the Collectorate in Anantapur on Saturday.

ANANTAPUR: Activists of the district unit of Communist Party of India (CPI) gheraoed Minister for Panchayat Raj and Endowments J.C. Diwakar Reddy and Anantapur MP A. Venkatarami Reddy in front of the Collectorate on Saturday, seeking clear allocation of 10 tmcft water to Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir (PABR).

Activists of the CPI led by former legislator K. Ramakrishna obstructed the entry of the Minister and MP into the Collectorate and delayed the commencement of Irrigation Advisory Board meeting by more than an hour. They wanted a G.O. on the allocation of water to PABR clearly citing the source.

The G.O. issued by the previous TDP Government `allocating' 5 tmcft water to PABR and another G.O. issued by the present Government in August last year for enhancement of the `allocation' to 10 tmcft were useless as they did not specify from where the water would be given, Mr. Ramakrishna pointed out.

Protesters unrelenting

As the Minister's point that the Government had already written to the Tungabhadra Board for diversion of additional 5 tmcft water to HLC from the State's share for PABR, failed to convince the protestors, he squatted in front of the entrance of the Collectorate along with protesters. The Minister assured the protesters that the Government would issue a G.O. by November 10 and asked the CPI to call off their protest.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail