NALGONDA: The oustees of the Dindi lift irrigation project, which was initiated by former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in 2015, are hopeful of receiving compensation and a resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) package from the newly formed Congress government.
The project was supposed to be completed in two and a half years, at a cost of Rs 6,190 crore. However, due to delays in providing compensation and R&R package for the affected residents, the project work faced obstruction. While some compensation has been disbursed recently, it remains incomplete. Moreover, some villages are yet to be evacuated as rehabilitation has not been fully realised.
Reservoirs are under construction at various locations including Shivannagudem, Chinthapally, Kistarayanpally, Gottimukkala, Singarajupalli, Ulpara, Gokaram, and Irvin as part of the Dindi lift irrigation project. Notably, 12 tmcft capacity reservoirs are being built in Charlagudem and 5.7 tmcft reservoirs in Kistarayanpally.
Over 90% of the work is learnt to be completed in the Gottimukkala and Singarajupalli reservoirs, while progress in other reservoirs is less than half complete. In Marriguda mandal, the Charlagudem reservoir construction has submerged entire villages like Venkepalli, Venkepallitanda, Charlagudem, and Narsireddygudem. Charlagudem alone witnessed the destruction of 275 houses, and a total of 3,200 acres submerged under the project