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Naidu refuses bail, firm on visiting dam site
Move triggers unrest in Nanded; in AP, arrest creates furore
Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service

Mumbai, July 17
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu and 74 party lawmakers, who were arrested by the Maharashtra Police at Dharmabad in Nanded district, today refused to apply for bail. A bandh was observed in the town in protest against the “adamant” stand of the Andhra leaders with the Dharmabad town, which lies close to the Andhra Pradesh border, was completely shut down.

The bandh call was given by the Babhli Bachao Samiti which is lobbying in support of the Babhli Dam. The body has the support of major political parties, including the Congress, the Shiv Sena and the BJP.

Naidu, accompanied by his supporters, including the TDP MLAs, was lodged at the Industrial Training Institute in Dharmabad. TDP leaders in Andhra Pradesh alleged that the former CM and his colleagues were lodged in sub-human conditions in a mosquito-infested room with not even water to drink. Naidu and his colleagues refused to apply for bail and insisted on being allowed to inspect the Babli dam.

Construction of the Babli barrage on the Godavari continues under restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court after the Andhra Pradesh Government’s petition some years ago.

Work on the dam with a capacity of 2.75 thousand million cubic feet began five years ago to tackle the problem of water shortage in Nanded district. According to the Andhra Pradesh Government, the dam would cut off water to the Pochampad dam in Telangana.

The matter is now pending before the SC which allowed Maharashtra to go ahead with the construction of the barrage. However, the state government is not allowed to construct gates on the barrage, which could hinder the flow of water into Andhra Pradesh.