The two are planning to field at least two fluoride victims from each of the two districts from Varanasi mainly to highlight the plight of fluorosis victims at the national level.

Nalgonda: Two techies from the Telugu States will lock horns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh essentially to highlight the fluoride issue in their native districts of Nalgonda in Telangana State and Prakasam in Andhra Pradesh.

Jalagam Sudheer, a native of Kodad in Suryapet district, and Vadde Srinivasulu, a native of Botlagudur village of Pamujru mandal in Prakasham district have decided to file nominations from Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency represented by Modi, who is also seeking re-election from the constituency.

If the situation is conducive, the two are also planning to field at least two fluoride victims from each of the two districts from Varanasi mainly to highlight the plight of fluorosis victims at the national level.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Jalagam Sudheer, a US returnee, said the proposed Fluoride Research and Monitor Centre at Choutuppal has been kept in cold storage by the Centre even though the State government had acquired eight acres of land. The government also handed over the land to the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), which was appointed as the nodal agency for the Centre.

Explaining the factors that would need to be looked into for filing of nomination papers, he said at least 10 local voters have to propose the candidature of each candidate to file nominations in Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency. The number of fluoride victims filing nomination papers in the constituency would be based on the availability of proposers, Sudheer said, adding that he had met Srinivasulu at a meeting and they had decided to join hands to highlight the Flouride problem in the two districts in their respective States.

As per the schedule issued by Elections Commission of India, the filing of nominations for Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency would begin on April 22, he added.

Srinivasulu, speaking over the phone with Telangana Today, said he has been regularly visiting the eight fluoride-affected Assembly constituencies in Prakasam district over weekends and holidays to get to know the problem. He is working for an IT firm in Bengaluru, but he has also been spending time working on the issue of fluoride menace in the district. He also heads the Veligonda Project Sadhana Samithi.

“The pathetic condition of fluorosis victims in Kanigiri Mandal where my native place is located prompted me to do something for the victims,” he said, adding that there were 10,91,394 fluorosis victims in Andhra Pradesh. “The Fluorosis victims, who fall sick frequently, are denied medical facilities making their lives miserable,” he said.

*Original article online at https://telanganatoday.com/two-techies-from-ts-ap-to-take-on-pm-in-varanasi

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