Date:01/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/01/stories/2005040109150300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Row over water lifting settled

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR, MARCH 31. The dispute over sinking of borewells on the Penna river bed by a private cement company near Tadipatri for drinking water needs was resolved today after a delegation of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and a few other organisations had a dialogue with the management of the company and the two sides reached at an agreement.

The TDP, VHP, OPDR and a few other organisations had been agitating over the issue for about a month now alleging that the private cement company (Ultratech Cemco Ltd) was trying to exploit the groundwater from the Penna riverbed for its industrial needs.

Indefinite fast

The Tadipatri rural ZPTC member of TDP, Pyla Narasimhaiah, had been on an indefinite fast for the last seven days demanding winding up of the cement company plans to lift the water from Penna river bed. Water carrying pipes and a diesel engine and a few other implements of the cement company were burnt by unidentified persons a couple of days ago.

A delegation comprising K. Srinivasulu, K. Suryapratap Reddy, U. Hanumantharaya Chowdary, D. Subramanyam and Naganna of the TDP, Chandrasekhar of OPDR and a few others went to the cement company and had a detailed dialogue with a delegation of the company led by its vice president, C.S. Reddy, in the presence of Tadipatri rural MRO, A. Balabrahmam.

As per the agreement, the cement company should sink only two borewells on the Penna riverbed and the capacity of motors should not be beyond 15 HP each with four-inch pipes for carrying water. Besides, the company should pump water for only eight hours a day. Water meters should also be fixed at the two tubewells.

Besides, the cement company management also agreed to construct three dhobi ghats for washermen between the old and new bridges across Penna near Tadipatri with its own cost. The company should also stop lifting water, if Tadipatri town would face water scarcity in future. The police also agreed to withdraw cases booked against the agitators on the issue.

Self-immolation bid

Meanwhile, a VHP leader, V. Radhakrishna, tried self-immolation by dousing himself with kerosene as the police tried to cane the agitators after the latter (agitators) allegedly broken the wind screens of a bus belonging to the cement company.