The situation in and around Pochampad where the Sri Ram Sagar Project is located is tense but under control. Police clamped down prohibitory orders under Section 144 to prevent the gathering of farmers who are agitating for the release of water in the main canal, Kakatiya for kharif activities.
A strong posse of police force numbering about 1,200 men has been deployed at Pochampad and in as many as 9 ayacut villages to face any challenge coming from the agitating farmers. Commissioner of Police Kartikeya is personally supervising the situation and camping there. Superintendents of police of four districts — Kamareddy, Nirmal, Jagityal and Adilabad— along with 10 ASPs, 30 circle inspectors of police, 80 sub-inspectors are part of the deployment.
Police outposts
Visitors coming to the SRSP or passing on the roads are being allowed only after a thorough check. Police outposts were set up on the borders of certain villages. As many as 15 farmers and leaders were taken into custody for the attack on the office of the SE (Irrigation) on August 2. The CP announced that vehicular traffic on National Highway-44 would be diverted from Dichpally-Janakampet-Basar-Bhainsa-Nirmal on Sunday in the event of farmers coming on to the NH-44 at Balkonda or Pochampad crossroads.
Farmers meanwhile are learnt to have planned to meet in their villages on Saturday night to take a decision on the future course of action. Since the government has not yet responded positively to the demand of farmers on the release of water farmers are likely to get ready to intensify their agitation from Sunday.