Cautioning Singareni coal miners that their future would be at stake in the unified state, Telangana Rashtra Samiti president Mr K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday tried to win them over by promising to build an industrial corridor from Kagaznagar to Kothagudem once the new state is carved out.

Mr Rao's meeting with the Telangana Boggughani Karmika Sangham leaders from Kothagudem, Manuguru and Yellandu in Khammam district assumes significance in the wake of the proposed call by the Telangana Political JAC for a people's strike from August 1, to which various Singareni unions have already expressed their support. All thermal power plants in the state depend solely on the coal excavated in these mines.

Addressing the 500 strong gathering here at Telangana Bhavan, Mr Rao said the people from Telangana have been repeatedly exploited in every walk of life. He added that "Be it sharing of mineral wealth, water resources or even jobs, we have been at the receiving end for the past five decades. Seemandhra rulers have snatched away our rights and have been belittling our right to self respect through their sinister game-plan. Come what may, we have to break free from the shackles of these migratory rulers and decide a secure future for our next generation. This is the time we have to remain united and grow stronger. Singareni has a bright future only in a newly carved out state.”

He reiterated that "How long will we have to bear their excesses? We are urging them that we separate like brothers without any ill feeling. If they don't, then we will give them a befitting reply in our own way.”

Mr Rao said that "We have huge natural resources and enormous mineral wealth in the region. We have top grade laterite deposits near Zaheerabad, limestone deposits across the region, dolomite deposits and even iron ore in Bayyaram. We do not have to worry about anything. We will have to intensify our struggle for carving out a separate Telangana that not only gives self-respect but makes us all prosperous.”

Mr Rao assured the leaders that he would be in the forefront to resolve any of their issues and asked them to strengthen the movement by taking active part in the people's strike starting next month.

(Soured from TOI)