Warangal: The 2BHK housing scheme is facing fresh obstacles in Warangal. The scheme first announced in Warangal has not been implemented for the past four years due to several reasons.
Just 10 days ago, municipal minister K.T. Rama Rao along with Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari laid the foundation stone for the construction of 608 2BHK houses in an 8.12 acres land at New Shayampet in Hanamkonda.
However, the land appears to be caught in a controversy with Dalits who claim to ownership raising serious objections. A group of Dalits claim that the land under Survey Nos. 343, 1277 and 289 of Shayampet jagir village where the houses were to be constructed has been assigned to them in 1979 by the then government.
MRPS national official spokesperson Manda Kumar Madiga said the land was indeed given to as many as 48 Dalits. He said that 45 persons were given seven guntas land and three others were given three guntas.
One of the villagers, Manda Ellaiah, who owns part of the land, complained that their land was being taken away forcibly. “We opposed the attempts of the local leaders to construct 2BHK houses earlier. However, the local corporator M. Aruna, TRS leaders M. Sivashanker, G. Sadanandam and others misguided the government and organised the foundation stone laying ceremony here on April 4,” they alleged.
DCC president N. Rajender Reddy extended support to them and said the Congress would fight for the people if the government tries to snatch away their rights. “On one hand the government says they are giving free three-acre land to the poor. On the other hand, they are snatching away the land of the Dalits. How does Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao justify this act?” he asked.
Mr Rajender Reddy suggested that the 2BHK houses can be constructed on the seven-acre government land on Survey No. 269. The Congress and MRPS leaders warned that they would launch serious protests if the locals are met with injustice.
