Govt. conspiring to damage Mallannasagar with blasts near bund, alleges Harish Rao

BRS leaders, led by T. Harish Rao, at the blasting site near Mallannasagar bund (in the background) in Siddepet district on Thursday.

Former minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) senior leader T. Harish Rao has alleged that the Government is conspiring to damage the Mallannasagar reservoir bund by allowing heavy blasting just 150 metres away from the structure, in violation of the irrigation guidelines.

Mr. Harish Rao, accompanied by villagers of Thipparam in Siddipet district, visited the site on Thursday, where the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board is carrying out the blasting during the night for laying a pipeline and constructing a pump-house.

“The illegal blasting is not only threatening the safety of the reservoir bund, but is leading to cracks in the houses at Thipparam village, which is about 750 metres away from the blasting site,” he alleged, adding that the police and revenue authorities were not even aware of any permission.

Mr. Harish Rao alleged that the Revanth Reddy Government was conspiring against Kaleshwaram Project from the beginning, and blasting near Mallannasagar was also part of that conspiracy. Sarpanch of Thipparam Bhadrappa had brought to Mr. Harish Rao’s notice that he was put under pressure to permit the blasting but he did not allow it.

He stated that the government was planning to take water from the reservoir to the city as part of the Musi beautification project by constructing a sump and a pump-house near Thipparam. However, as per norms, there should not be any blasting or construction for a distance of 400 metres from the bund since the bund height was 40 meters. Even beyond the 400 meters, only controlled blasting could be allowed with permission from irrigation, revenue and police authorities.

Mr. Harish Rao explained that huge boulders were being removed and piled up as huge heaps after the blasting to make a 16 metre to 20-meter-deep gorge for a length of about one km. The blasting was going on for the last 2-3 months by detonating the gelatine sticks without any permission from the irrigation, revenue and police departments.