Aqua plant tragedy throws Assembly out of gear

​Amaravati: It is the tragedy in an aqua processing plant in West Godavari district after the leakage of SSC question paper and alleged involvement of Agriculture minister Prattipati Pulla Rao in a scam relating to purchase of AgriGold lands that threw the last day of the Assembly session out of gear on Saturday.

The principal Opposition continued their high-voltage drama by storming around the Speaker’s podium stalling the Question Hour and Zero Hour. As a result, the House failed to take up any scheduled business throughout the day.

The Opposition and treasury benches continued to cross swords, ignoring the repeated requests of the Chair to help restore order. Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao adjourned the House thrice in an attempt to bring it back onto the track, but in vain.

It was a showdown between Leader of Opposition YS Jaganmohan Reddy and Labour Minister Achchennaidu on the death of five workers in the aqua processing factory. Reddy blamed the government for its miserable failure to get the industries to introduce safety measures leading to the tragedy in the aqua unit.

Achchennaidu dismissed the allegation and asserted that the government had ordered a high-level probe with senior IAS officers on the factors leading to the death of the workers. Besides, the government has promptly announced a solatium of Rs 25 lakh for each family of the victims, he added.

The YSRC leader said the government has given permission to the management of the ill-fated factory to set up a similar plant at Thundurru in the same district, riding roughshod over the feelings of the locals over safety. He wanted the government to draw a lesson from the mishap in Mogaltur factory and deny permission for the plant at Thundurru keeping in mind the safety of the people around.

Achchennaidu in turn portrayed Jagan anti-industry and sought to know how could the state achieve progress and provide employment to the youth without industries.

Perturbed by the boisterous postures of the Opposition, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu appealed to the Chair to take punitive action against the members failing to uphold the dignity of the House.

Even as the war of words between the Opposition and treasury benches went on uninterruptedly, the Speaker adjourned the House sine die.