SIDDIPET: After the Mallannasagar oustees, those displaced by the State government’s prestigious Kondapochamma reservoir have also come forward alleging that the authorities concerned have adopted a “step-motherly attitude” towards those who approached the court seeking a fair Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) package.
Several oustees, who currently live in makeshift houses at Mulugu mandal in Tunki Bollaram, have accused the Siddipet district officials of treating them like “second-class citizens” and targetting them for approaching the court.
It may be mentioned here that about 26 families who gave up their agricultural lands for the construction of the Kondapochamma project had moved the High Court seeking fair compensation as per the norms devised by the Central government. “We gave up everything for the State government’s flagship project. Then why are you (the officials) behaving to us this way? Those authorities, who rush to the spot immediately after learning that an area of a few houses submerged due to heavy rains or floods, have been turning a blind eye to our hardships for the past several months,” the distressed oustees pointed out.
It may be recalled that the makeshift houses of Kondapochamma oustees set up at the R&R Colony at Tunki Bollaram in Gajwel constituency had collapsed on October 9 due to torrential downpour. Speaking to Express, Vanteru Devireddy, an ousteee living in the R&R Colony, said that he too had to bear the brunt of the recent heavy rains and strong winds that blew away the roof of his house and washed away his properties.
“Even after learning about the incident, the officials concerned neglected us and did not bother to even visit the area. About four-and-a-half acres of my farmland was submerged by the Kondapochamma reservoir, following which I moved the court seeking compensation. I am currently living at a neighbour’s place after my house was damaged,” he said and added that their colony had flooded last year as well. “Though they were not supposed to take up construction works on Shikam lands, the officials flouted this norm in Tunki Bollaram. This is the reason why our area gets flooded every year,” he further pointed out.
Another oustee belonging to the colony said that the officials have not yet removed the electric poles that uprooted about four days ago. They also pointed out that though the authorities had promised to shift them to the 2BHKs at Kamalabad, they neglected the promise afterwards.
‘Punishment’ for approaching court?
Several oustees, who currently live in makeshift houses at Mulugu mandal, have accused the Siddipet district officials of treating them like “second-class citizens” and targetting them for approaching the court seeking compensation