Visakhapatnam: Though the irrigation projects had been started decades back, the government is solving the rehabilitation issue. The government acquired ands from farmers and directed the people to vacate the villages.
But later, it has not allotting funds to purchase the lands for their rehabilitation. The villagers who gave lands for the projects are not allotted the compensatory places for their habitation. Thotapally Project is facing the problem for the past 10 years and people belonging to 15 villages are affected. But around 10 villages were not given proper places for rehabilitation.
Duggi, Kallikota, Gunanupuram, BhatlaBhadra and Bittarapadu villages were not given any proper place. So the people are not vacating their homes. Nandivanivalasa, Sunki villages in Garugubilli mandal and Gadabavalasa in Giyammavalasa mandal also were not given the sites for their new homes. Though the government has acquired the land for them at some other place, it is not developed and basic amenities like roads, drinking water, electricity have not been provided.
Site for Nandivanivalasa and Sunki villagers was acquired at Ramnaidu-valasa but the authorities have not developed the site and did not provide basic facilities. Even Tarakaramateerthasagar project has to provide rehabilitation for two villagers.
More than 600 houses belonging to Atmaramuni Agraharam and Koradapeta villagers have to be shifted to some other place.
But the authorities have not acquired new land or site for these villagers. The two projects have to provide employment to the youth who have crossed 18 years but this is being not implemented so far. In the recent Budget, both projects were allotted a meagre amount. Thotapally needs around Rs 200 crore but it was allotted only Rs 20 crore. Tarakaramateerthasagar needs Rs 60 crore but it got only Rs 78 lakh.
Deputy engineer G.V. Ramana of Thotapally project said, “We are sending proposals to the departments concerned regarding this issue. All problems of rehabilitation and relocation will be solved very soon.”
