SIDDIPET: Several oustees of Etigadda Kishtapur village, which was submerged due to the Mallannasagar project are facing the prospect of vacating their houses once again due to lack of coordination between the officials concerned and local public representatives.
Before constructing houses in Mutrajpally, officials collected details from the oustees as to whether they wanted a 2BHK houses or an open plot. Sarpanch of Etigadda Kishtapuram village D Pratap Reddy allotted houses to about 371 people from his village in Mutrajpally, which also included those who had opted for an open plot.
Many such people had also taken Rs 5.4 lakh given by the government for the construction of the house. Later, 47 oustees changed their mind about wanting the plot and instead, wanted to take possession of the double bedroom house they were staying in.
These oustees said they would return the money they had taken from the government and handed over DDs of Rs 5.4 lakh to the sarpanch. Now confident of being given possession of the house, they spent about Rs 2-3 lakh to carry out repairs at the houses.
Some even drilled borewells. They were shocked when they were informed by the sarpanch that those who had opted for open plots had to vacate the houses.
The oustees say it is not right for officials to ask them to evacuate the houses. Many oustees who spoke to Express did not want their names to be revealed, over fears that if that happens, they would be targeted and harassed.
When villages sarpanch Pratap Reddy was asked on the issue, he said it was true that 47 oustees had given him the DDs, but Siddipet RDO Ananth Reddy had refused to take them. Reddy claimed that the authorities, who appeared understanding earlier, were acting differently after the completion of the project.
RDO Ananth Reddy said oustees who had opted for an open plot would be given temporary accommodation until they constructed their own houses.
When asked about the money the inhabitants had spent on renovating the houses, the RDO said borewells had been drilled in only three or four houses, while many ongoing repairs and constructions had been stopped.