Tension at Sunkesula, Srisailam Dams

KURNOOL: Tension prevailed at Sunkesula reservoir in Kurnool mandal and at Srisailam right power house as the police foiled a public meeting sought to be organised by Samaikyandhra activists near the reservoir and the power staff prevented 'outsiders' from generating power at the power house on Monday - the 69th day of the ongoing Samiakyandhra agitation in the district.

Nearly 5,000 Samikayandhra agitators, including several farmers and led by former Mandal Praja Parishad (MPP) president D Vishnuvardhan Reddy, tried to hold a public meeting near the Sunkesula project, abutting the Mahabubnagar district, despite denial of permission for the same by the police.

When police, led by Kurnool DSP Ramana Kumar, tried to stop them from proceeding to the reservoir, the agitators attacked them with stones and footwear forcing them to resort to a lathicharge.

In the incident, 20 farmers and some policemen, including ASI Lok Nath, were injured. After a three-hour-long tension-filled struggle, the police brought the situation under control and arrested several agitators.

Meanwhile, tension also prevailed at the Srisailam right power house when the government tried to run the power project with the staff brought from Narayanpet and Jurala Projects and the local power staff prevented them from doing so.

While the stoppage of power generation at the Srisailam right power house has deprived the Rayalaseema region of 770 MW of power, the continued generation of power at the Srisailam left power house with two generators has ensured availability of 240 MW of power to the Telangana region.

In Kurnool town, doctors belonging to the Indian Medical Association and medical JAC rendered out-patient services on the road at NTR Circle from 10 AM to 12 Noon. Earlier, they formed a human chain there, under the leadership of IMA Kurnool unit president Dr Shankar Sharma.

The government and private degree college lecturers JAC staged a rally in the town and submitted a memorandum to BJP state vice president K Kapileswaraiah urging him to pressurize his party high command to keep the state unified.

The APSRTC staff staged a massive rally from the new RTC bus station to the Collectorate via Raj Vihar. Later, they staged a 'rasta roko' at the Collectorate.

In Allagadda town, farmers held a big rally and various JACs supported them. In Nandikotkur town, students' JAC organsied a 'Vidyarthi Garjana'.

In Adoni town, Vidyut JAC and political JAC members formed a big human chain and later organized a 'vanta varpu' programme at the main bazaar. Various JACs held rallies and blocked NH 44 in Dhone, Piapili, Veldurthi and Kallu mandal headquarters. JAC members, activists of various political parties, staff of various departments took out rallies in the district.