KAKINADA: The YSR Jagananna Colony proposed at Komaragiri Layout in Kakinada rural mandal is facing a drinking water problem due to its location in a low-lying area. Construction is in progress for only 15 houses from the 16,689 plots distributed to beneficiaries there even 16 months after the foundation stone was laid for the colony.
The beneficiaries say the colony is located close to the sea, as a result of which groundwater there is neither fit for drinking nor for construction. They also allege that the water supplied by the Rural Water Supply department has high saline content.
Located 15 km away from Kakinada city, Komaragiri layout falls under U Kothapalli mandal in Pithapuram Assembly constituency. On February 20, 2022, three houses in the layout were inaugurated by Kakinada MP Vanga Geetha, MLA Dwarampudi Chandra Sekhar Reddy and mayor Sunkara Siva Prasanna. Since then, the construction of only five houses could reach advanced stages while that for 10 others is in the initial stages.
As much as Rs 25 crore was proposed to provide proper drinking water infrastructure and Rs 83 crore for power supply to the layout. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the first phase of construction of houses under ‘Pedalandariki Illu’ from Komaragiri in December, 2020.After a few months, the layout was submerged in floodwaters in August 2021. Covid third wave posed another hindrance, because of which the construction could not pick up. Meanwhile, several beneficiaries have since sold their plots for Rs 2.50 lakh to Rs 3.50 lakh.
Kakinada Civic Welfare Association convener Dusarlapudi Ramana Raju alleged beneficiaries were not interested in taking up construction of their houses due to the saline groundwater. He demanded that the RWS department disclose the water testing reports. “Even the sea level is gradually increasing at Uppada village, and the Kakinada-Uppada beach road sees frequent damages due to this.”
Claiming the water supplied to the layout is not saline, K Sri Devi, an RWS official in Kakinada, said: “The department has dug 40 borewell points to supply water to the houses under construction. Water is also supplied through tankers if needed. All water points are temporary and the water is not saline. The department is planning to set up overhead tanks, one for every four houses.”
Meanwhile, power to the layout is being supplied through the Vakalapudi sub-station. Fourteen transformers and 104 poles were arranged for the purpose, M Surayanarayana, AE-operations, U Kothapalli mandal said. In-charge commissioner of the Kakinada Municipal Corporation, Ch Naga Narasimha Rao, said Rs 2 crore was allocated for a 1.8 km-long 60-feet CC road. Two 40-feet roads connecting the colony from the beach road will also come up, he added.