Date:27/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/27/stories/2005042709500400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Clashes mar polls to WUAs

Special Correspondent

Snatching of ballot papers reported

HYDERABAD: Elections, held to the second batch of 3,949 water users associations (WUA) under major, medium and minor irrigation sources in 10 districts on Monday and Tuesday, were marked by incidents of clashes between Telugu Desam and Congress workers at several places.

At least at four places, rival party workers indulged in booth-capturing, snatched ballot papers and obstructed polling officials. Several such incidents were reported from Krishna, Guntur and West Godavari districts in Krishna delta. This, despite the polls being held on non-party basis.

On Monday, 2,731 WUAs had gone to the polls but in view of the clashes, the polling had to be postponed at 149 villages covering as many associations by district Collectors who are the competent authorities. Elections in these villages would be held separately at a later date, said S. Srinivas, Special Commissioner, Command Area & Water Management.

No contest

As part of the exercise, farmer-members in each WUA first elected their members whose number was restricted to six in the case of minor irrigation sources, and to 12 for medium and major irrigation sources. These members, forming managing committees of respective WUAs, in turn, elected presidents and vice-presidents. The election of office-bearers was unanimous for 1,009 WUAs.

In the case of major irrigation sources such as Nagarjunasagar, these presidents and vice-presidents elect distributary committees which in turn elect the project committee headed by chairman. The Government wants to undertake this exercise later.

There are 10,775 WUAs in the State and the elections were held to 6,221 of them spread over 13 districts in October 2003.

On Tuesday, the polling was conducted to another 1,218 WUAs in the other districts but with heavy deployment of the police in view of the incidents on Monday.

Election material was burnt by rival party workers at Sarlasagar in Mahabubnagar, forcing postponement. Similar incidents took place at Arikyalaplli in Khammam district, Yeturu in Cuddapah, Balapur in Anantapur and Channaraopalem in Krishna district.