CPM demands Special Category Status to state

Eluru: The CPM District Committee called upon the people to participate in the district-level meeting on April 14 at Eluru to exert pressure on the Centre to accord Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh.

The CPM district committee meeting held here on Tuesday. State leader Mantena Sitaram presided over the meeting. Speaking at the meeting, the party upland committee secretary Chintakayala Babu Rao said that already Pratyeka Hodaa Sadhana Samiti has taken up a massive agitation demanding the Special Status to the state. If the Centre fails to respond to the demand, they will intensify the agitation.  

The meeting expressed regret over the government attitude towards the farmers who are demanding Rs.30 lakhs per acre under Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Scheme(CLIS). He pointed out that the farmers are continuing the relay hunger strike in Chintalapudi and the government did not respond to it. 

He demanded that the government supply water to tail end lands of Pentapadu, Unguturu, Denduluru, Pedapadu and other mandals to save the crops. He expressed concern over the non-availability of irrigation water to the tail-end lands. Therefore, crops are withering due to lack of water.

The meeting demanded that the government pay the compensation to Polavaram oustees under 2013 Act. Meeting demanded that the government solve the electricity contract workers problems as they are on strike. CPM district secretariat member A Ravi, DNVD Prasad, R Lingaraju, P Kishore, Tellam Ramakrishna participated in the meeting.