SIDDIPET: The Vemulaghat farmers affected by the proposed Mallanna Sagar Project said that their struggle is for rehabilitation and resettlement and not against the project. Villagers said that the TRS candidate in Dubbak, Solipeta Ramalinga Reddy and former MLA and TRS leader Cheruku Muthyam Reddy have been portraying that the farmers were against the construction of Mallanna Sagar Project.
Villagers on Monday at their protest camp said that they do not have any objections regarding the capacity of the project. They are in fact demanding rehabilitation and resettlement according to the Central Land Acquisition Act, 2013. They alleged that the KCR government has duped the farmers who gave their lands as per the GO 123 for the construction of the project.
At the time of registering the land, the government had mentioned 6 lakh, only in the sale deed, under rehabilitation and resettlement. Mallanna Sagar Porata Samithi leader Hayatuddin said that when a woman farmer Teegulla Balamai from Etigadda Kishtapur village of Thoguta mandal approached the court, Siddipet collector filed an affidavit citing 6 lakh for rehabilitation and resettlement.
He said that the State government is yet to complete the project and is instead trying to divert its water to Konda Pochamma reservoir in Gajwel constituency, which happens to be KCR’s seat, via canal worth at least 51.6 crore. He added that the government had issued GO 528 in March, 2018 for this.
He also said that the TRS leaders were levelling false allegations against the Congress and Vemulaghat farmers ahead of the elections, trying to portray them as guilty. Hayatuddin further hoped that the people will teach a lesson to TRS.