The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has come down heavily on the coalition government over the alarming deaths in Turakapalem village of Guntur district, where 45 people have reportedly died over the last 10 months due to mysterious health complications.
A delegation of YSRCP leaders who visited the affected village termed the tragedy “a man-made disaster born out of criminal negligence.” They demanded ₹1 crore compensation for each bereaved family and free medical treatment for all those still undergoing care. The leaders strongly criticised the government’s decision to give only ₹5 lakh ex gratia to 29 families, calling it “an insult to human life” and “a mockery of justice.”
YSRCP leaders expressed outrage that, even after months of investigation, the government has failed to identify the exact cause of the deaths. They pointed out the conflicting statements made by officials while the local MP blamed Melioidosis, the Health Minister attributed the deaths to contaminated water, and the area MLA claimed excessive alcohol consumption was responsible. “This confusion only exposes the administrative collapse and lack of coordination within the government,” the leaders remarked.
Adding to the outrage, the YSRCP team alleged that social discrimination has worsened the tragedy. Residents of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Backward Class (BC) colonies are reportedly being ostracised and denied access to safe drinking water. The delegation revealed that unsafe quarry water was supplied only to these marginalised colonies, where most of the deaths have occurred.
The party demanded immediate steps to ensure a permanent drinking water solution, including the laying of a fresh pipeline from Guntur city to Turakapalem. Former MP Modugula Venu Gopala Reddy announced that, with the assistance of MP Alla Ayodya Rami Reddy, an RO water purification plant will be set up in the village within a month.
Holding Minister Pawan Kalyan accountable for what they described as the “failure of rural development and health protection mechanisms,” YSRCP leaders urged the state government to act urgently to restore public confidence and prevent further loss of life.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
