Nellimarla (Vizianagaram): Villagers of Saripalli in Nellimarla mandal on Friday halted the ongoing construction works of the Taraka Ramateerthasagar irrigation project. The residents objected to the closure of the road connecting Saripalli to Nellimarla, where the staff of the contractor had arrived with machinery to undertake the project works.

Upon learning about the planned road closure, around 600 villagers rushed to the site and obstructed the machinery. They questioned how the main road to their village could be blocked without providing an alternative. The protesters demanded immediate compensation packages for those who had already lost their lands to the project. They warned that the closure of their only accessible road would not be tolerated and insisted that the authorities identify an alternative route before continuing construction. Expressing their agony, villagers said the project had already caused significant hardship by taking away agricultural lands and now even threatened their mobility.

“The government’s temporary relief measures are of no use to us. If the works proceed without justice, we will not allow them to continue,” the villagers declared. They accused the government of ignoring the plight of displaced residents despite repeated pleas for fair treatment.

Village elders B Adinarayana, Saripalli Baburao, Majji Ramarao, Nadipena Anand, Althi Prakasharao, Poonumajji Venkatarao and Saripalli Gopalamurthy took part in the protest and voiced the community’s demands. They reiterated that unless proper rehabilitation and road access are assured, the villagers will continue to resist the project works.