KHAMMAM: Residents of five gram panchayats, which were merged into Andhra Pradesh from Bhadrachalam mandal (Telangana) during the state bifurcation, have been pinning hopes that the Congress government will retain them within Telangana.
During the state bifurcation, the Union government incorporated five gram panchayats— Yetapaka, Pichukalapadu, Gundala, Seetampet and Kannaigudem — into Andhra Pradesh. However, this decision was opposed by the residents and have been fighting to retain them to Telangana.
These five gram panchayats are close to Bhadrachalam town (Telangana) ensuring easy access for the residents to various facilities. However, since the merger, people have been forced to travel 250 km to reach district headquarter Kakinada, while Bhadradri Kothagudem (Bhadrachalam district headquarter) is only 40 km away.
The merger has also adversely affected the development of Bhadrachalam town, as the entire mandal, excluding the two, became a part of AP. With limited land and space, the town’s development has been restricted, and officials from the Bhadrachalam gram panchayat are struggling to find suitable areas for dumping waste.
K Sriniu, farmer of Yetapaka (one of the merged villages) said, “Bhadrachalam is only 4 km from my village, but due to its merger into AP, we are facing a lot of challenges.”