SIDDIPET: A large group of people displaced by the Mallanna Sagar Reservoir project staged a protest on Rajiv Road in Gajwel town on Sunday. They demanded action on their grievances, including immediate compensation, allocation of house plots, and the construction of double-bedroom houses.
A large gathering of residents from the Mutraj Palli Resettlement and Rehabilitation Colony undertook a four-kilometre rally towards Rajiv Road. Despite attempts by the police to deter them, the protestors managed to breach the police cordon and press forward.
Etigaddi Kistapuram sarpanch Pratap Reddy voiced his frustration over the prolonged delay in receiving compensation, despite almost three years passing since the evacuation of the submerged villages. The demonstrators brought traffic to a standstill, occupying the road for one and a half hours.
Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao was residing at the Erravalli Farm House near Gajwel at the time of the protest. Apprehending the protesters’ intention to approach the farmhouse, the police sealed off the road leading to the location. As tensions escalated, Gajwel ACP Ramesh intervened and engaged in negotiations with the protestors to defuse the situation.
In light of the unavailability of the district collector, the protestors were assured that the additional collector would convene at the Revenue Divisional Office (RDO) to engage in discussions and seek a resolution to their concerns.
The protestors then issued a stern warning that if their issues were not satisfactorily addressed within a week, they would escalate their protest efforts. They emphasised their demand for Resettlement and Rehabilitation packages for single women and for young women who have reached the age of 18. The protestors said that if prompt action is not taken to allocate house sites, they will initiate further agitation programmes.