West Godavari villages agog over KCR claim

Telangana Chief Minsiter K. Chandrasekhar Rao's recent announcement that four or five villages that have gone to Andhra Pradesh during the split will be merged with his State has caused tension in the Kukanoor and Velerupadu mandals in West Godavari district. When the matter was taken to the attention of West Godavari district Collector Katamneni Bhaskar on Wednesday, he said he was not aware of the villages that the Telangana Chief Minister was referring to. Talking to a Telugu newspaper reporter, Bhaskar said there was no question of any of the villages of Kukanoor or Velerupadu villages going to Telangana. He had no idea which of the villages the AP Chief Minister had agreed to. On the contrary, West Godavari was demanding the merger of four villages in Burgampahad in Telangana, which were crucial for West Godavari district's communications. Talks were already on between the two States on the matter. Polavaram, as promised in the Reorganisation Bill, is crucial for Coastal Andhra development. The people of the areas should salvage whatever is left for coastal development. The people cannot allow development to be bartered in the little that is left.