The Hindu Business Line : Farmers' demo at Prakasam barrage

SEEKING release of water for the kharif paddy crop in the Krishna delta, the Telugu Desam and the BJP organised a protest demonstration by farmers at the Prakasam barrage here on Monday. The leaders of both parties condemned the "double talk" and "double standards" of the ruling Congress on the issue and threatened to intensify the agitation.

A TDP leader and former chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Co-operative Bank, Mr T. Dasaradha Janardhan, the former Union Minister, Dr U. Venkateswarlu, the former floor leader of the BJP in the State Assembly, Mr K. Haribabu, and others held the Congress responsible for the plight of the farmers in the delta.

They said the party was in power in both Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, yet was unable to persuade the Karnataka Government to release water from the Almatti reservoir.

"We are told the Almatti reservoir is full and yet the Karnataka Government is not releasing water. Barely a year ago, when they were in the Opposition, the Congress leaders were crying themselves hoarse over the plight of Krishna delta farmers. Where are they now?" Dr Venkateswarlu asked.

Mr K. Haribabu, BJP leader and a member of the taskforce constituted by the then NDA Government for interlinking of rivers, said, that in the long run, only the construction of the mega Polavaram project on the Godavari and transfer of water from the Godavari basin to the Krishna basin would solve the problem.

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