KHAMMAM: Residents living on both sides of Gollapadu channel (pumping well road) in Khammam town alleged that the district administration has issued them notices to vacate houses without making any alternate arrangements. Residents staged a sit-in protest against revenue officials on Saturday.
More than 1,000 families have resided on either side of the channel in huts and small sheds for the past 40 years. The State government asked the residents to vacate their homes as it has taken up development of the channel.
Residents said the Chief Minister, who had visited Khammam in 2018, had assured that 2BHK houses would be provided to them. After his visit, the revenue department gave the residents pattas for land at Velugumatla, but the land has not yet been allotted. On Saturday, revenue officials arrived at the residents’ homes and asked them vacate in seven days though the date on which the notices were issued was August 4. They questioned how officials could issue notices without prior intimation.