Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya on Saturday assured Adilabad residents, especially tribals in the Agency areas, that he will strive for a virology laboratory in the district. He said he would discuss the issue with Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and impress upon him the need to open such a laboratory in view of epidemics tormenting the tribals year after year.
Safe drinking water
Mr. Dattatreya, who was here in connection with the party’s membership drive, addressed a press conference and demanded that the government ensure supply of safe drinking water to control spread of water-borne diseases. The chances of epidemics have increased owing to the incessant rainfall in some mandals, he added.
The BJP leader criticised the TRS government for not contributing its share of ₹20 crore in upgrading the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Adilabad, into a super speciality hospital despite the efforts of the Central government, which has already released its share of ₹130 crore.
Mr. Dattatreya also demanded that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao fulfil his electoral promise of settling the issue of podu lands which has become a law and order issue. The senior leader was confident of BJP’s chances of winning the municipal elections. He talked of the alliance between the TRS and Majlis Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen and said it exposed the weak ground on which the Chief Minister was standing.