14-day Padayatra by CPIM Khammam District committee flagged off

CPIM Andhra Pradesh State secretary and PB member Com. B V Raghvulu flagged off the 14 day ‘Sagu Neeti Sadhana Maha Rytu Padayatra’ led by the CPIM Khammam District committee for the implementation of various projects and to voice against the antipeople measures of state and central congress government. Party district secretary P Sudarshan presided over the inaugural function on the banks of the Godavari near Dummugudem on Sunday. The party central committee member T Veerabhadram, former MP Midiyam Babu Rao, and former MLAs Sunnam Rajaiah and Kunja Bujji were those present.

An overwhelming number of over 1,000 party workers and leaders clad in green shirts embarked on the 300-km-long Maha Padayatra in 18 mandals to press for allocation of Rs 10,000 crore for early completion of the pending irrigation projects mainly the Dummugudem (Rajiv Sagar) lift irrigation scheme in the district.

CPI (M) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu has demanded the government cancel the “corruption- ridden Jalayagnam” and announce a new water policy in the next budget session of the Assembly to ensure expeditious completion of the need-based irrigation projects with a thrust on the upland and drought-prone areas in the State.

Addressing a huge gathering of the party cadres, including farmers at the venue adjoining the Sir Arthur Cotton canal, Mr Raghavulu alleged that the Jalayagnam had failed to create any additional ayacut as assured in spite of spending over Rs 65,000 crore under the programme till now. “The lapses pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in the implementation of the Jalayagnam and the allegations of large scale irregularities made by none other than the ruling party leaders vindicated our earlier charge that it was a ‘Dhana Yagnam’,” he said.

The corruption ridden programme should be cancelled forthwith and a comprehensive water policy should be evolved to complete the irrigation projects with a pragmatic approach, he demanded asking the other parties to spell out their stand on the issue.

Khammam district deserves top priority in irrigation sector in view of a major chunk of tribal population, he said.

He lashed out at the government for allegedly spending crores of rupees on the Dummugudem-Nagarjunasagar tail pond link canal and Polavaram projects in an unproductive manner detrimental to the interests of the farmers in the district. He appealed to other parties to extend their support to the Rythu Padayatra to espouse the cause of farmers.