Hyderabad, November 17: The AP Flourosis ‘Vimukti Porata Samiti’ on Friday organised a dharna here in which 120 victims from Chintapally, Marriguda, Narayanapuram and Nampalli mandals of Nalgonda districts participated.

Krishna water

K. Subash, convener of the samiti, said the protest was to press its demands—supply of the Krishna water to 850 villages, release of Rs. 250 crore for the water supply project, payment of pension of Rs. 500-1,000 to 70,000 victims (as per the Health department survey and 2001 census), treating flourosis as a national calamity in view of its spread in 12,635 villages in 18 districts in the State.

The samiti wanted the Government to hold health tests and surgeries for the victims at its cost and rehabilitate them. He said the organisation was opposed to supply of fluoride-treated and Krishna water to 325 of the affected villages.

The samiti leaders met TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu and urged him to raise the fluoride issue in the Assembly. Four members of the Legislative Council—Ch. Ramaiah, K.Nageshwar, Ch. Sitaramulu and K. Dilip Kumar and others besides two victims, A. Swamy and P. Tirupatamma, were present .