Eight Years Of Wait For Atomic Plant

Visakhapatnam:Kovvada Matsyalesham, a coastal fishing village in the Ranasthalam mandal of Srikakulam district, has faced a sense of uncertainty for nearly a decade.

Once selected as the site for India’s largest nuclear power plant, the village, along with its neighbouring areas of Kotapalem, Ramachandrapuram, Gudem and Tekkali, was included in a government agreement with the American energy company Westinghouse.

In 2015, 2,060 acres of land was officially acquired for the nuclear power project, displacing residents from some 2,400 acres.

The central government declared April 30, 2017, as the final cutoff date for land acquisition, promising a comprehensive compensation package and promised the locals relocation to purpose-built rehabilitation colonies. However, eight years later, the project has not taken off, leaving these villages in a state of administrative limbo.

Residents say they have been systematically erased from government records. Their villages no longer receive basic funding from either the state or central governments, resulting in the deterioration of essential infrastructure.

Mandal Praja Parishad (MPTC) member Dhummu Ashok expressed local frustration, stating, “They promised us rehabilitation colonies, but no work has begun. Our land was taken, but we’ve been left stranded. Currently, we are not receiving government funds, our villages are not in government records, and there is no development.”

This delay has severely impacted over 6,000 villagers living within the project area. Vital services such as water, education and roads have been neglected. Government institutions have fallen into disrepair and officials seem unwilling to invest in villages designated for eventual removal.

“The school is in ruins,” said former village sarpanch Mailapilli Police.

“The walls are cracked, there are holes in the ceiling, and the roads are barely usable. We have submitted over 100 requests to ministers, MLAs, MPs and district collectors, yet no action has been taken. No government official visits us.”

“Ironically, we were told that spending more money would be pointless since the village is likely to be removed soon. We are living in very poor conditions,” added Mailapilli Police.

The most pressing concern is the fate of rehabilitation. Despite disbursal of financial compensation, the promised colonies at Darmapuri in the Yecherla constituency remain unbuilt. Existing housing is overcrowded and inadequate. Villagers fear that any new structure they construct could be deemed impermanent or illegal.

“We’ve waited long enough,” say village residents. “Either relocate us with dignity or restore our villages with basic facilities,” M Ramulamma says.

Villager A, Appana, states, “The situation in our villages highlights the larger challenges of finding a balance between development and human dignity. Without clear timelines or renewed commitment from the authorities, our affected communities continue to endure displacement and neglect.”

“We are facing the consequences of a stalled project.”