Tension in Kondapalli reserve forests, police arrange pickets
The Hindu
No permission for TDP leaders to visit Kondapalli forest, says DIG.
Tension mounted in Kondapalli reserve forests and at Mylavaram in Krishna district with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders planned to visit the forests on Saturday, alleging illegal mining. Police mobilised forces at Kondapalli, Ibrahimpatnam, Mylavaram and Gollapudi areas in Krishna district and in Vijayawada Police Commissionerate limits, to prevent the TDP’s fact finding committee from entering into Kondapalli forests. Former Minister and TDP leader Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, who visited the forest area alleging illegal gravel mining, was arrested by G. Kondur police a couple of days ago. He was in judicial custody in Rajahmundry Central Prison.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.