Telangana shut in protest as govt approves ordinance on Polavaram dam

Hyderabad: A bandh was being observed in Telangana region on Thursday to protest the reported move to merge villages in seven mandals of Khammam district with the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh for construction of the mega Polavaram project.

The shutdown call was given by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Chief and Chief Minister-designate K Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday condemning what he termed as “injustice” to Telangana. TRS leaders and activists took to streets in Telangana districts and here raising slogans against the move to bring villages of seven mandals in Khammam district in Telangana with East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh for the construction of the Polavaram irrigation project. TRS workers were seen holding protests in front of bus depots across Telangana affecting bus-services. Shops and business establishments downed shutters in the districts following the bandh. “The bandh is going on peacefully. So far there are no reports of any incidents. Buses have stopped plying…all security arrangements are in place to maintain law and order,” a senior police official said. In view of the Telangana bandh, all examinations conducted by the Osmania University, including Post-Graduate Engineering Common Entrance Test (PGECET), scheduled for Thursday have been postponed. Telangana will come into existence on June 2 as the 29th state.

PTI