SIDDIPET: The villagers of Erravelli in Kondapak mandal obstructed the contractor and prevented him from carrying out the Mallannasagar reservoir construction work on Tuesday. The villagers told him that officials had hurried them into registering their lands as per GO No.123 without providing them the rehabilitation and resettlement package. They alleged that the government had given them a meagre compensation under GO No.123 and wondered if they should leave the village at once. Village vice-sarpanch K Shivakumar said High Court had stayed the operation of GO No.123.
The villagers said all parties should wait for court verdict or the government should issue a fresh GO incorporating a package of rehabilitation, resettlement and other benefits. They made it clear that until their demands were met, they would not allow the works in the village. When the contractor reached the village in the morning with heavy machinery, villagers came out and blocked them. They told him that not only was compensation not paid for their lands but even the survey was not completed. They made it clear they would not allow the works unless they were paid full compensation.
The villagers also submitted a memorandum to the district collector. They said they cooperated with the government but were paid compensation as per GO No.123 whereas Vemulaghat farmers were paid as per the Land Act of 2013 though they had opposed every move of the government. The distraught Erravelli farmers are planning to approach the court.
Meanwhile, in another development, Etigadda Kishtapur villagers also declared that they too would not allow the works in the village. The villagers submitted memorandums to Thoguta tahsilfar and Siddipet RDO on the matter. They demanded that they be compensated with land for land, house for house and village for village as per Land Act 2013. They alleged that officials had pressurised them to register their lands in favour of the government.
Officials are in a quandary as on one side the government is expediting Kaleshwaram project works and wants to complete the works in record time and provide water to areas in Siddipet and on the other side are oustees from submergence-facing villagers demanding justice and obstructing the works. They claim that 95 per cent of land acquisition for the Mallannasagar and Konda Pochamma reservoirs was completed but the latest developments may stall the progress of the projects.