Govt bid to stave off Cong backlash

​Hyderabad: In a bid to counter the opposition Congress party’s campaign against Mallannasagar reservoir project in Medak district, the Telangana government has prepared a detailed report to be submitted to the High Court on Tuesday.

According to top officials of the State Irrigation Department, the petitions filed by the Congress mentions the names of people who died two years ago. Out of 872 people purported to have signed the petitions, there are at least seven people who died two years ago: M Satyanarayana and M Ramachandram from Singaram and K Mallaiah, M Ramaiah and B Ellaiah, B Srinu and P Ramaiah from Vemula Ghat.

The report states that as many as 300 people's signatures were forged and the petitions were filed in their names in the court without their knowledge. It was found that a majority of them had migrated to Hyderabad and other areas for their livelihood. Some of them have already received court notices to attend the hearing in Hyderabad.

The total number of petitioners who knocked on the doors of the court and the statements they made under the influence of the opposition parties in every affected village under the project are mentioned in the report. Sources said that government would also explain the relief and rehabilitation measures being taken up for the displaced at the proposed reservoir site. So far, the government has acquired 16,500 acres of land out of the requirement of 17,500 acres.

Rehabilitation has already been provided to the displaced under Government Order 123. All such details will be enclosed in the report.
Officials said that the Mallannasagar reservoir, with 50 TMC installed capacity, would create 10.50 lakh acres of new ayacut. Only 8 villages and 5 hamlets were being submerged and only 5000 families would be affected under the project.

Patan Afzal Babu