http://www.siasat.com/english/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=192939&Itemid=63&cattitle=Andhra%20Pradesh
Dalit officials targeted, says TDP MLA Vijayawada, July 09: Nandigama MLA and TDP general secretary Devineni Umamaheswara Rao on Sunday demanded that the Government take action against the officials responsible for irregularities in the civil works relating to the Krishna Eastern Bank Canal and Pulichintala project. He told reporters here that instead of punishing those who were mainly responsible for these irregularities, the Government had made two dalit officials scapegoats in the two instances. "While officials close to the leaders of the ruling party have been spared, those belonging to weaker sections have been transferred. This goes against the principles of natural justice," he maintained. Mr. Umamaheswara Rao accused the Government of protecting a senior officer close to Animal Husbandry Minister Mandali Buddha Prasad while transferring Vijayawada circle SE M. Kalidas after irregularities in KEB works came to the fore. Similarly, Pulichintala SE Bapuji had been transferred after irregularities in the project works were highlighted. "As both these officers are dalits, the Government is thinking that they are easy targets," he alleged. Mr. Umamaheswara Rao made a visit to Rythu Bazar at PWD Grounds where he expressed concern over rising prices of essential commodities. He visited various stalls and enquired with the traders and buyers about the prevailing rates of commodities, vegetables and fruits. On seeing a long queue at a stall, the TDP leader questioned officials as to why steps were not being taken to dispense with queues by delivering better services. --Agencies
