Low public turnout, long wait mark launch of India’s first Earth Sciences University in Kothagudem

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy inaugurated the Dr Manmohan Singh Earth Sciences University in Kothagudem after a delay of over three hours. Thousands of students were mobilised by the district administration to fill seats, with many waiting for more than seven hours and receiving minimal refreshments.

Kothagudem: In a ceremony delayed by more than three hours, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy launched the Dr Manmohan Singh Earth Sciences University here on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister was scheduled to arrive in Kothagudem at 2 pm, but landed in a helicopter at 5.07 pm and rushed through the launch before returning to Hyderabad at 5.38 pm. Meanwhile, several school and college students were kept waiting for over seven hours.

A large number of students from various educational institutions were mobilised by the district administration following directions from district ministers in view of the poor turnout and empty chairs that greeted the Chief Minister at the Praja Palana-Praja Vijayotsavalu meeting at Maktal in Narayanpet district on Monday.

As many as 60 RTC buses were engaged to transport students, while several private colleges brought their students in their own buses. Students were taken to the meeting venue between 9.30 am and 10 am and were made to wait until the programme concluded late in the evening.

Despite the efforts of officials, apart from the students, very few members of the general public attended the event and only Congress workers were seen at the venue. Many students complained that despite being made to wait for long hours, they were given only one biscuit packet, and a majority did not receive the food packets distributed at the inauguration, which was part of the government’s Praja Palana-Praja Vijayotsavalu.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Revanth Reddy said the university was named after former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who had fulfilled the long-standing aspiration for a separate Telangana during his tenure.

He said the Earth Sciences University would support the growth of companies like SCCL. He added that Khammam district had supported the party in the recent Assembly elections and that funds and permissions for the district’s development would be sanctioned.

Ministers Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Thummala Nageswara Rao and Vakiti Srihari, Kakatiya University Vice-Chancellor Prof K Pratap Reddy and local MLAs were present.