Date:28/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/28/stories/2008082858920300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

YSR pays tribute to police firing victims

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister says there would be no hike in power tariff for the next five years

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy has paid tributes to the three persons who were killed in police firing on a rally taken out against power tariff hike at Basheerbagh here on August 28, 2000.

The three victims were Vishnuvarshan Reddy (Ranga Reddy district), V. Balaswamy (Guntur) and S. Ramakrishna (Khammam).

Asserting that there would not be any hike in power tariff for the next five years, he said in a statement on Wednesday that he was deeply moved by the inhuman attitude of the then Telugu Desam Government in dealing with the anti-power tariff hike agitation and instantly decided not to increase power tariff as long as Congress continued in power.

The Telugu Desam had forgotten the incident but the people taught an unforgettable lesson to it in 2004 elections. Dr Reddy said his Government had drawn up plans to make a capacity addition of 8,960 MW to the State grid at a cost of Rs. 34.4 crore.