Take people’s consent for Musi project, Kishan Reddy advises CM

Union Minister accuses Chief Minister of ‘declaring’ a war against the poor by ‘demolishing’ their homes under the guise of the project and also ‘threatening to drive bulldozers over protesters’

The government should first make efforts to divert the domestic sewage and industrial effluents from entering Musi river and build a retaining wall before it goes ahead with the ‘rejuvenation or beautification project’, demanded Telangana BJP president and Union Minister of Coal & Mines G. Kishan Reddy on Sunday.

At a press conference after completing the night stay in the house of A. Sankaramma in Tulasiramnagar in Amberpet, he claimed about not having experienced any foul smell during his stay and asserted that no one is ready to leave the slum for any two-bedroom housing elsewhere. He demanded Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to walk with him in the Musi riverbed areas, talk to the affected families and take their permission beforehand.

He accused the Chief Minister of ‘declaring’ a war against the poor by ‘demolishing’ their homes under the guise of the project and also ‘threatening to drive bulldozers over protesters’. “People like Sankaramma are living in fear. Her husband runs an auto and her four sons live in the building. Where will they go if they are uprooted? Already, nine people have died over the impending demolitions,” charged the BJP leader.

“The government can take up the project without going after houses and people should be informed about the proposed project, cost estimates and from where the Krishna or Godavari river water is being brought before it begins works since Nalgonda district needs clean water too,” he added.

Published - November 17, 2024 06:41 pm IST