Date:29/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/29/stories/2008092950400100.htm

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Politicians make a beeline to Sircilla

Staff Reporter

KARIMNAGAR: Politicians belonging to various political parties made a beeline to Sircilla, the textile town in Karimnagar district, on Sunday, to console the bereaved families of powerloom weavers, who committed suicide due to unemployment and increasing debts.

Minister for Mines and Geology P Sabitha Indra Reddy, Minister for R&B T. Jeevan Reddy, Minister for Endowments J. Ratnakara Rao, ZP Chairman Arepalli Mohan, former DCC president T. Santosh Kumar and others visited the dingy lanes of various weaver-dominated localities and consoled bereaved families and assured all assistance from the government.

Ex gratia distributed

The Ministers also distributed Rs 25,000 each to the three bereaved families of weavers who committed suicide on Saturday.

They assured ex gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh to each family and free education for the children.

TRS legislature party leader Etala Rajender, legislators Koppula Eshwar, V. Lakshmikantha Rao, TRS State general secretary and K Chandrashekhar Rao’s son, K Rama Rao, TRS MLC candidate from Karimnagar graduates constituency Naradasu Laxman Rao and others also visited Sircilla and consoled the bereaved families.

State taken to task

They handed over financial assistance of Rs 15,000 each to nine families in Sircilla town and Rs 10,000 to one bereaved family in Garshakurthi village.

They flayed the government for failing to stop the suicides by weavers.

They demanded the government to open an ESI hospital to provide proper medicare to weavers.

Narayana’s visit

CPI State secretary K Narayana along with district president Marri Venkat Swamy also visited Sircilla and handed over financial assistance of Rs 5,000 each to three bereaved families.

Praja Rajyam leader KSR Murthy also visited Sircilla and distributed financial assistance of Rs 25,000 each to the three bereaved families on the occasion.

TDP leaders E Dayakar Rao, local legislator Ch Rajeshwara Rao, district president L Ramana also visited Sircilla and distributed financial assistance of Rs 25,000 to three families on behalf of SEWS (self-employment welfare society), a voluntary organisation.