Nothing changed in Telangana's coal belt during 9 years of BRS government: Congress leader Bhatti Vikramarka

HYDERABAD: Congress legislature party leader Bhatti Vikramarka on Wednesday alleged that nothing has changed for the people living in the Singareni coal belt even nine years after the formation of Telangana state.
Bhatti Vikramarka recalled that during the Telangana movement, a slogan became quite popular in the Singareni coal mine areas which said 'Coalbai, Mumbai or Dubai'. It meant that people of this region had the option of working as coal mines workers or migrating to Mumbai or Dubai to work as labourers.
"There were hopes that the situation would change for the better for people living in the coal belt and those working in the Singareni, after the formation of Telangana. However, the conditions worsened and now the locals also lost the option of 'coalbai' or working in Singareni Collieries," Bhatti said during his pada yatra in Bellampally of Mancherial district on Wednesday.
The CLP leader highlighted the significant job reduction in Singareni, where employee numbers decreased from 1.05 lakh to 42,000. There have been no fresh recruitments, but only retirements or appointments on dependent posts. There is a growing concern about the possibility of Singareni's wealth being handed over to private companies.
Bhatti accused chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of avoiding the Singareni elections due to fear of defeat.
"When the election comes, KCR speaks about Dalit Bandhu, Dalit CM, Gorlu, double bedroom houses, unemployment allowance, Rs 3 lakh assistance for constructing the houses, Podu lands, etc., Once the elections are over, he forgets everything," he alleged.
Bhatti Vikarmarka pointed out that until 2014, the Congress Government had given financial assistance of Rs. 1 lakh to Indiramma's houses. However, KCR stopped it by claiming that his government would build double-bedroom houses. Consequently, the poor homeless families neither got assistance under the Indiramma scheme nor got double-bedroom houses.
Meanwhile, the cost of construction of houses like the prices of cement, steel and labour has increased by three times. This delay and false promise shattered the dreams of lakhs of homeless people in Telangana, he said.
Referring to a statement made by KCR during the statehood movement that he would come to Tribal areas, sit on a chair and distribute all Podu lands, Bhatti asked whether the chief minister could not find a chair or a place to put a chair in the last nine years.