KHAMMAM: People affected by displacement due to the Polavaram project have demanded a better rehabilitation package from the State and Union governments as they claim the present one is an eyewash.
A recently-formed committee visited the affected areas in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chattishgarh and Odhisha and interacted with the project-affected persons (PAPs). The committee, headed by former Zilla Parishad chairman Chanda Lingaiah, convener Soyam Babu Rao, MP Dr P Pulla Rao from Andhra Pradesh, Kovvasi Harish from Chattishgarh, Madakam Manoj from Odhisha, Kurusam Subba Rao from Telangana, B Shankar Reddy from Telangana and V Santhosh Kumar from Telangana.
Lingaiah said as that due to the project, around 3 lakh acres in four states, including 1.86 lakh in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are going to be submerged, 1,66,000 families will be affected and 371 villages would be submerged.
The Andhra Pradesh government, Lingaiah said, is paying Rs 1.15 lakh per acre to PAPs, which is not a good package. He alleged the government had paid Rs 45 lakh per acre to PAPs of the Pattiseema project and also provided other facilities but when it came to Polavaram project, the government has no good heart.
He demanded the State and Union government pay Rs 50 lakh per acre, 10 cents house plot, provide Rs 25 lakh for the construction of a house and pay Rs 10 lakh to every person from a family who has completed 18 years of age.
He clarified that the project is being constructed at a height of 170 feet and Bhadrachalam town and its surrounding areas would be submerged under backwater of the project. The water level in the Godavari river will be 70 feet.“We are planning to meet both Andhra and Telangana states chief ministers and governors first. We will then meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi with 2,000 delegates. Then, we will meet the President.”He said tribal and non-tribal are losing their properties and everything under project but the State governments are taking up eyewash rehabilitation steps.