Poor losing livelihood

​Vijayawada: Thousands of poor families are losing their livelihood in and around Vijayawada city due to the demolition of houses by Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) and revenue officials for taking up the developmental works. So far, more than 1,500 families were displaced during the last two months.

Nearly 1,100 families were forcibly displaced from Kummaripalem and Bhavanipuram areas along the Krishna river for the beautification of river front. The residents have been living in the area over 40 years. The VMC is collecting taxes and electricity department has given power supply and collecting charges.

The VMC is allotting houses in Jakkampudi village on the outskirts of the city to the displaced families. The victims are alleging that all the displaced families are not getting the houses in Jakkampudi. The most important aspect of the episode is these families are losing livelihood due to a removal of houses.

Hundreds of families run pretty kiosks, barber shops, tailoring shops and other petty business to maintain their families. All these families lose their income due to shifting to other location. It will take many months or years to recover from the loss caused by the Krishna district administration, said V Ramaraju, a CPM leader in Bhavanipuram.

He said the development at the cost of poor people should not be advisable. Over 300 families living in Ramavappadu were forcibly evacuated for the Inner Ring Road (IRR) works. They were shifted to Jakkampudi housing complex, where there was no drinking water and power supply. Snakes and other venomous creatures roam freely on the outskirts of the city.

These families are leading a miserable life due to the apathy of the officials. In spite of knowing the proposals of shifting the displaced families, the VMC officials have not taken measures to provide power supply and drinking water in Jakkampudi Colony. When contacted, Assistant Engineer in VMC V Srinivas said the VMC had started the works and would complete them soon.

However, the residents don’t know when the works will be completed. Ibrahimpatnam is another area badly affected by the proposed development works. Over 300 families were intimidated and forcibly evacuated from the Ferry road one month ago. The victims are also leading a miserable life in the village after the evacuation.

T Srinivas, a local trader in Ferry said, “We are not against the development. But the Government should show sympathy for the poor people.” He said he came to Ferry 40 years ago when the entire village was open land and started living there. The Ferri villagers owned cattle sheds and petty shops to run the families.

All these shops and cattle sheds were crushed by poclainers and other heavy machinery causing loss to the poor families. Over 300 workers lost their jobs on Saturday when the VMC demolished shops and restaurant on River canal bunds. The workers have to start a search for the new jobs in the city.

Scores of workers silently gathered on the River canal bund on Sunday morning to see the devastation caused by the VMC officials while removing the structures restaurant, dairy parlor, aquarium, ice cream parlor and other shops.