Stop Babli project: TDP

Hyderabad, Apr 12 (UNI) Opposition leader and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N Chandrababu Naidu today demanded that the Maharashtra government immediately stop 'illegal' construction of Babli and ten other irrigation projects on Godavari river.

Addressing a press conference here, he said it was the responsibility of all to protect the interest of farmers and people of Telangana region.

The Central ministers from Andhra Pradesh, had failed to pressurise the Central government, he said and charged the state government with not projecting the case in an effective manner before the Supreme Court.

Stating that the TDP had called an all-party meeting to discuss the issue tomorrow, Mr Naidu said he had already discussed with the Leaders of the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), MIM and the BJP.

The leaders assured him that they would attend the meeting, Mr Naidu said, adding he would write a letter to TRS to attend the meeting.

The TDP chief demanded that the Union Government should direct the Maharashtra government under article 256 of the constitution for failing to heed the directions issued earlier on the Babli project.

The Centre should send a team to verify the stoppage of the work by the Maharashtra government and study the construction of 11 projects, including Babli and its capacities and implications.

Demanding that the Centre instruct the Maharashtra Government to allow an all-party delegation from Andhra Pradesh to inspect the projects under construction on Godavari, he said the TDP would implead on the Babli case pending before the Supreme Court.

UNI