Rythu Sangham opposes quarries in green fields

Patancheru: The district unit of Telangana Rythu Sangham on Tuesday questioned the State government's decision to give stone quarries amid green fields. General secretary Gollapalli Jayaraj posed the question during inspection of farmers' fields in Patancheru mandal.

Speaking to the media, he stated that farmers in Lakdaram village were depending on agriculture as their main avocation raising paddy and sugarcane crops. They had a good number of cattle. In this scenario, efforts were on to launch quarries on a hillock in survey no.193. Around the hillock 600-700 farmers were raising crops with the help of irrigation canals located along with a temple and a mosque. 'If a qurry is launched agricultural operations would be ruined along with the lives of ryots', he pointed out.

Jayaraj appealed to the government to withdraw quarry permissions and render justice to farmers. If not he warned of staging agitation along with ryots. Former MPTC Member Ramchandra Reddy and ex-sarpanch Raji Reddy pointed out that already people, including women and students, were suffering because of the presence of crushers there. They threatened to stall operation of quarries and while pledging to protect crops.

Among those present during the visit were CITU mandal secretary Nageswar Rao, formers Gopal Reddy, Pradeep Reddy, Manik Reddy, Narsimha Goud, Lakshma Reddy.