Mangalagiri: CR real culprit in quarry blast killings, alleges TDP

Mangalagiri: TDP MLC Mareddy Ravindranath Reddy on Wednesday accused YSRCP MLC C Ramachandraiah and his wife Kasturibai of being the main culprits in the quarry blasts that left 10 labourers officially declared killed in Kadapa district recently.

Ravindranath Reddy (B Tech Ravi) said that the government was taking a lenient view even though Ramachandraiah's wife holds the main lease for the Mamillapalli quarries. How can the YSRCP MLC now say that his family has no responsibility for the blasts since they have given the quarries for a sub-lease, he asked.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, the TDP leader said that the police were just finding an excuse to let go of Ramachandraiah's family despite the fact that the blasts caused huge loss of human lives. The YSRCP MLC family was saying they gave the quarries on sub-lease to one Nageswara Reddy against whom there were many cases. He also went to jail in the past under the PD Act. He wondered how could the ruling party MLC family give sub-lease to such a person with a criminal track record.

B Tech Ravi asked whether the local police got any instructions from the Chief Minister's Office not to touch the family members of Ramachandraiah. There were also doubts whether they have created documents on the sublease in order to escape from the punishment. Ramachandraiah and his wife should take the blame for the death of so many workers. The TDP would file a private case if the Jagan Reddy regime did not take the required action against the main lease holders, he said.

The TDP leader deplored that the Chief Minister was doing politics even in respect of handing over sufficient ex gratia to the kin of the deceased. The Chief Minister immediately intervened and got Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of the victims in the Vizag LG Polymers gas tragedy. But, when it came to similar tragic deaths in other places in the state, Jagan Reddy was giving just Rs 5 lakh or Rs 10 lakh.

Ravi asked as to how the government arrested just the sub-lease holders while giving relief to the main lease holders. There was proof that Ramachandraiah's wife holds the main lease for 2021 and 2022. Notices were also issued for non-payment of Rs 45 lakh royalty fee to the government. Since the YSRCP came to power, the mining resources were exploited and sold away but the fee was not being paid to the government, he alleged.