The Hindu : Front Page : Kolleru: two Collectors face threats

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 12, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Kolleru: two Collectors face threats

Special Correspondent

Krishna, West Godavari district officials concerned about their lives

FISHERMEN'S IRE: People protesting at the venue of the Supreme Court panel's hearing on Kolleru in Hyderabad on Saturday. — Photo: Satish. H

HYDERABAD: The ongoing efforts to cleanse Kolleru lake in the face of stiff resistance from the locals took a new twist on Saturday with the Collectors of West Godavari and Krishna districts expressing concern over the threats to their lives because of the operation.

Participating in the public hearing conducted by the Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court here, West Godavari Collector Luv Agarwal said he and Krishna Collector Naveen Mittal were at the receiving end as the encroachers were resorting to attacks on officials.

During the operation to restore the lake on the directives of the Apex Court, encroachers were creating frequent hindrances to the officials in one form or the other. "They are using women and children as shields to carry out their work," he told the committee.

Committee members headed by Chairman P. V. Jayakrishnan asked Mr. Agarwal to send them in a sealed cover the list of persons from whom they were facing threats so that the necessary action could be initiated.

The Collector later told reporters that the Supreme Court's stay on Kolleru restoration operations was valid till Saturday and that the administration would await further directions before re-commencing the operations.

Concern voiced

The public hearing had its share of drama towards the end when a group of people whose tanks were being demolished tried to assault a farmer, Ramaraju, after he informed the committee that the fish tanks were obstructing free flow of water leading to submergence.

Even as Mr. Ramaraju was speaking to media, a few people tried to surround him and the former left the place in a hurry.

Several leaders from the Congress, CPI, CPI (M) and the TDP and representatives of the organisations championing the cause of the affected fishermen voiced their concern over the manner in which the operation was being carried out.

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

Front Page

News Update

Stories in this Section