Rs 10 lakh additional compensation for Polavarm-affected people

Rajamahendravaram: Survey of Polavaram-affected villages has started in Kunavaram and Yetapaka revenue divisions under Chinturu Agency of East Godavari district.

State Water Resource department issued an order on June 30, 2021, granting Rs 550 crore package to ensure that each displaced family within the 41.5 M contour receives compensation of Rs 10 lakh.

According to the GO, as many as 17,113 displaced families (PDFs) will get an additional package from the State government. The Rs 10 lakh compensation includes Rs 6.6 lakh financial component that is entitled to the displaced family under the right to fair compensation and transparency in land acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

According to officials, 2,344 displaced families were eligible to get the additional compensation in the VR Puram and Kunavaram mandals in Chinturu Agency. Owing to the bifurcation of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh State, four mandals -- Chinturu, VR Puram, Yetapaka and Kunavaram -- were merged in the new AP due to construction of Polavaram Irrigation Project.

The survey will be conducted in two phases. In the first phase, enumeration of houses, human beings and lands conducted by the Revenue department officials will be done.

In the second phase, the engineering and R & B department officials will take the measurements of the houses and other constructions in the villages to assess the property value. According to the ITDA – Chinturu officials, the survey started in the villages and people of the villages are being informed through village secretaries and village volunteers, when the survey is to be conducted in those villages.