SIDDIPET : The district administration’s efforts to persuade the agitating villagers of Bailampur and Thanderpally to call off their stir and allow works on the Konda Pochamma reservoir did not fructify on Wednesday.The oustees from the two villages in Mulugu mandal made it clear that they would not allow any construction activity till the promises made to them were kept. The villagers have been stalling the works for the last two days.
With the works not taking off, Mulugu tahsildar Nagamani visited the villages on Wednesday and held discussions with the farmers. But, they were reluctant even to hear her and made it clear that works would not be allowed until the promises were fulfilled. Nagamani then took up the matter with Gajwel Area Development Authority (GADA) special officer Hanumanth Rao. Later, Hanumanth Rao too visited the village and held discussions with the protesting farmers for almost two hours, and again there was no result.
Hanumanth Rao suggested that a delegation of 10 to 20 farmers go along with him for a talk with the district collector but the farmers didn’t agree. They reiterated their demand that houses should be constructed for them, promises made by the chief minister should be fulfilled and their due compensation should be cleared if they were to leave the village. Later, the villagers in large numbers gathered at the work site and held Vanta-Varpu programme in protest against the government’s attitude. Hanumath Rao again tried to pacify the farmers without success.