HYDERABAD: In a first, an Independent candidate from Pattancheru constituency, Singarapu Satyanarayana signed the bond papers — presented by a group of citizens under the banner of ‘Forum to Improve Things’ — pledging to solve the industrial pollution issue by shifting chemical industries out of Nehru Outer Ring Road (ORR) if he is given the mandate.
Quite expectedly, the candidates from mainstream parties like TRS, BJP or those belonging to Grand Alliance in Serilingampally, Patancheru, Quthbullapur and Kukatpally constituencies have so far refused to sign the affidavit.
Titled ‘People’s Manifesto’, the affidavit is on a Rs100 stamp paper and consists of seven points the candidates have to adhere to if voted to power and one of the crucial demands in the list is fulfilling of all major environment-related demands within 30 months of coming to power and that includes shifting all pharma industries out of ORR limits as per the G.O MS 20 dated March 1, 2013. Another main demand is to improve the public transport facility. “We took appointments of candidates of most of the parties and explained to them the concept of the whole thing and the issues at hand, however, it seems many are worried and scared to sign on a paper, give such a commitment,” said Sreedhar Ukkalam, official spokesperson of Forum to Improve Things (FIT).
In fact, many are looking at this concept as a test to know which candidate is accessible and who is deaf to people’s issues. Among the candidates, the FIT team managed to get in touch with is Kukatpally’s TRS candidate M Krishna Rao, who reportedly said he is supporting the issue, but refused to sign the paper. The TRS candidate from Serilingampally, A Gandhi has also expressed his support and has agreed to sign but only after ensuring such an act will not be in violation MCC.
Meanwhile, 12 independent candidates from Serilingampally have also promised to sign the affidavit by Monday. While Grand Alliance’s star candidate Suhasini Nandamuri, who will be contesting in Kukatpally on TDP ticket, the Quthbullapur Grand Alliance candidate Koona Srisikam Goud are yet to respond.