Date:11/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/11/stories/2008021152960300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

‘State must get due share of gas reserves’

Staff Reporter

Kakinada: The people of Andhra Pradesh should get their due share of the oil and gas reserves in Krishna-Godavari basin and the Government has to protect their interest even if it hurts the capitalists, said Kakinada MLA Mutha Gopalakrishna in an all-party meeting organised by the K-G Basin Gas Sharing Struggling Committee (KGSSC).

Gopalakrishna said the Government should not allow the monopolising of oil and gas reserves in K-G basin which would be meting injustice to the people of Andhra Pradesh whose right over the energy source is unquestionable. “Had the Governments sensed the trouble much early, they could prevent commercialisation of the K-G basin for somebody else’s benefit”, he observed.

Former TDP leader J. Sitarama Murthy said political consensus was essential to fight against the exploitation of K-G basin and called upon the people to extend their support to the ongoing struggle.