Mahbubnagar (2) – Telangana has been plunged into political turmoil after the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel collapsed in Nagarkurnool district on Sunday. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, after visiting the site, has blamed former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for the tragedy. It has been alleged that this was a failure of the previous government. While rescuers are struggling to deal with this crisis, political wrangling continues. There is a fierce exchange of accusations and counter-accusations between the ruling Congress party and the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS).Speaking at a public meeting in Wanaparthy, Reddy asked, “You delayed the implementation of the project… due to which the tunnel roof collapsed and eight people died. Isn’t this your sin, KCR?” BRS working president KT Rama Rao accused the Chief Minister that Revanth Reddy was missing from the scene of the incident, but he was addressing several meetings. KT Rama Rao has criticized the Chief Minister for giving importance to the MLC election process instead of overseeing the rescue operation.MLC elections for the Graduate and Teachers constituencies will be held on February 27. For this, Congress, BRS and BJP parties have started campaigning vigorously for their respective candidates.An SLBC tunnel used for irrigation purposes to carry water from the Krishna river in drought-hit Nalgonda district collapsed during construction. Several workers are trapped and rescue operations are underway. Concerns are being expressed about the safety measures and structural soundness of such rescue-critical projects.Reddy has alleged that the previous government rushed through project approvals and implementation without adequate oversight, putting the infrastructure at risk. The use of substandard materials resulting from corrupt contracting practices played a role in the disaster.The incident has left many workers injured, triggering a fierce political conflict. The rescue team is still trying to find and safely evacuate the eight people trapped in the SLBC tunnel for the tenth day. The incident took place on February 22 and the relatives of the workers trapped in the tunnel are worried. The rescue teams, who have been trying continuously, are sad and worried as they are not getting the expected success.
Dr. Anupriya Gaikwad
For True to Life News Media Pvt. Ltd.