HYDERABAD: A high tension power transmission line tower collapsed due to the impact of blasts carried out by a private company to level the rocky open land at Khajaguda on the fringes of the city on Saturday. The flying debris also damaged a few houses in the vicinity.

Congress MP from Vijayawada Lagadapati Rajagopal's company, the Lanco Mantri Private Limited, owned the land. When officials rushed to the village, residents mobbed them and complained that the company management did not take proper care while blasting the rocks.

Alleging that their complaints fell on deaf ears, the villagers said many houses were damaged when rocks were blasted earlier too. Several politicians, including Congress MLA from Khairatabad P. Janardhan Reddy and Telugu Desam leader K. Vijaya Rama Rao, demanded an inquiry into the incident after meeting the locals.

`Illegal' blasting

Mr. Janardhan Reddy demanding stern action against those responsible for "illegally" blasting rocks resulting in damage to a few houses, told a press conference here that he would write to Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Ranga Reddy District Collector and to the Cyberabad Police Commissioner, asking them to initiate action against those blasting natural rock formations, a unique feature of the city's landscape.

He referred to the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority notification listing 11such formations which needed protection.

Violation of licence

The private company has 108 acres of land under Survey No. 201 in Khajaguda and Manikonda villages. "The company has licence to use explosives but they have violated licensing conditions by taking up `open' blasts instead of `controlled' blasts," Rajendranagar ACP B. Narsimhulu said.

Police registered a case under Section 3 of Damage to Public Property Act, and Section 286 (negligent handling of explosive materials) and 427 (damage to property) of the IPC against the company.

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