Harish Rao demands Rs 10 lakh relief for deceased migrant workers

BRS deputy floor leader T Harish Rao demanded Rs 10 lakh compensation for migrant workers who died in a Karnataka road accident. He criticised power cuts affecting farmers and heard students’ complaints about meals, staffing and facilities at Induvasi School

Mahabubnagar: BRS deputy floor leader T Harish Rao accused the Congress government of pushing Palamuru into another cycle of drought and migration. He demanded compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for migrant workers from Mahabubnagar district who died in a road accident in Karnataka.

Harish Rao, accompanied by former Minister S Niranjan Reddy and other BRS leaders, visited the families of two Dalit agricultural labourers, Asepu and Naganna, who died in the accident in Karnataka’s Yadgir district. Around 40 Dalit families from Induvasi had migrated to Karnataka in search of work. Several other workers were seriously injured, with two reportedly in critical condition.

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Acting on the directions of BRS president K Chandrashekar Rao, the party extended immediate financial assistance to the affected families.

Harish Rao alleged that neither the government nor the district administration had provided assistance or ensured adequate medical care for the victims. He demanded an ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the deceased, along with free, quality treatment and financial assistance for the injured. He criticised the Chief Minister, two Ministers from the district and the Collector for their alleged failure to respond.

Separately, Harish Rao, the deputy leader of the BRS Legislature Party (BRSLP), inspected the Gattu electricity substation and examined its logbook after farmers complained of erratic power supply and drying crops. He said records for October 13 showed that farmers had received only seven hours and 50 minutes of three-phase power, with three interruptions, including one lasting an hour.

He said repeated interruptions prevented water from reaching the tail-end sections of fields. He accused the government of prioritising Hyderabad, IT companies and industries over farmers. He also alleged that substation staff had received messages from senior officials directing them to cut power supply.

Comparing the situation with the previous BRS regime, Harish Rao said the Congress government had curtailed the promised 24-hour free power supply, pushing agriculture into crisis.

During a visit to Induvasi Government High School, students stopped his convoy and complained about insect-infested midday meals, repetitive brinjal curry, vacant subject-teacher posts and inadequate facilities. They said drought was forcing some students to discontinue their education and migrate with their parents in search of daily-wage work.

Harish Rao assured the students that he would take up their grievances with the government.