Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee had given "Chalo Mallannasagar" call to protest lathi-charge on the project oustees on Sunday and express solidarity with the farmers agitating against land acquisition.
Opposing construction of the Mallannasagar project in Medak district, Congress launched the stir demanding adequate compensation for farmers and also questioned the rational behind the government acquiring such a large portion of land.
"Several Congress leaders and workers were taken into preventive custody as police foiled their plans to undertake Chalo Mallannasagar programme," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone), V B Kamalasan Reddy, told PTI.
"We were planning to visit the project site to explain certain issues to people. First of all there is no transparency in the project design. It does not require so much of land and also it is not clear under which Act or section the land would be acquired. There are other aspects such as environmental clearances and protection also," Reddy said.
He alleged that it was the government's "unilateral decision" to go ahead with the project, which cannot be done in a democracy.
the project, estimated to be constructed at a cost of Rs 9,800 crore. Once completed, it would irrigate 12 lakh acres of land in Medak, Nizamabad, Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy districts.
On the allegations of Opposition, the TRS government had accused it of trying to stall land acquisition process, thereby delaying construction of Mallannasagar and other irrigation projects.
On demands that the oustees be paid compensation as per the provisions of Land Acquisition Act-2013, Telangana Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao said the government has already agreed to this demand and not a single acre will be taken by force from farmers.
Telangana JAC chairman M Kodandaram had earlier said that the state government was keen to go ahead with the Mallannasagar project despite villagers facing submergence and not willing to part with their lands.