The party said many panchayat and mandal offices were flooded or were inaccessible
Hyderabad: The BRS on Thursday appealed to the Telangana Election Commission to postpone the preparation of gram panchayat electoral rolls in the wake of the floods that have severely affected several parts of the state, until normalcy is restored.
The BRS, in a letter to the State Election Commissioner, said going ahead with the electoral exercise process amid a natural calamity would undermine democratic participation and add to the public’s distress. The BRS said the SEC’s notification provides a narrow five-day window from August 28 to September 2 for the revision, and questioned how citizens, preoccupied with saving their families and belongings, could be expected to participate.
The party said many panchayat and mandal offices were flooded or were inaccessible, making verification impossible. They also emphasised that administrative officials are currently overwhelmed with relief and rehabilitation efforts and cannot be simultaneously burdened with election duties without compromising both tasks.
BRS wants Rs 25L ex gratia to flood victims
The BRS on Thursday said the state government had completely failed in preparing itself to tackle the rainy season and its impact, and demanded that it pay ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh for every life lost on account of rain-related disasters, and Rs 25,000 per acre as compensation for crops lost due to rain and flooding, and provide Indiramma houses to those who lost their homes.
BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, who toured parts of Kamareddy and Rajanna-Siricilla districts to inspect rain and flood-hit areas and assess damage, said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was “like Nero playing the fiddle when Rome burned. Revanth was reviewing projects like Musi river beautification and the Olympics while the state is drowning in floods. The Congress government was completely unprepared to face the fallout from the rains.”
Speaking to reporters, Rama Rao accused the government “of reckless disregard” in failing to issue timely warnings to people despite the Manair river receiving more than one lakh cusecs of flood water. “The Congress government failed to anticipate the disaster and did not make adequate preparations. More rain is being predicted over the next four days and at least now the government should heed the latest weather warnings and take immediate action,” he said.
Praising government officials for their round-the-clock efforts to minimise loss of life and property, Rama Rao appealed to the Centre to extend help in this critical time. He also said that BRS workers were involved in relief efforts, providing food and drinking water in the affected areas and that the party will soon set up medical camps.
BRS wants time to make KLIS presentation in Assembly
The BRS has said that it must be given an opportunity to make a comprehensive presentation on the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme to present “facts” to the people of the state, as part of its effort to counter what the government may say in the Assembly on the Justice P.C. Ghose commission of inquiry.
A delegation of BRS Legislature Party said if it is not allowed to make a presentation, then the Speaker would be seen as not ensuring justice and fair opportunity to all sides to present their case on the subject.
Former legislative affairs minister Vemula Prashant Reddy told reporters on Thursday that he and other BRS MLAs sought an appointment with the Speaker to submit a representation with their request. “The Speaker was not available the whole day. We then approached the Legislature secretary who said he cannot accept our representation. We will try again on Friday to meet the Speaker to submit our request,” Prashant Reddy said.
“The government is spreading lies about the BRS on the Kaleshwaram project using the Justice Ghose commission report as an excuse. The BRS is fighting in the courts on how rules and procedures were violated by the commission. It is in this context that people, and all legislators must know the full facts about the Kaleshwaram project. We sincerely hope that the Speaker will accept our request,” Prashant Reddy said.
