Bandi wants R&R package for Basavapuram reservoir oustees

Hyderabad / Bhongir: Telangana State BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar's second day of his third phase of Praja Sangrama Yatra gained attraction from school children in all the sections of the village. The Karimnagar MP held a Rachabanda interactive programme with the displaced people of Basavapuram Reservoir which is yet to get compensation for the lands acquired for the project and implementation of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R).

The Project Affected Families (PAFs) poured out their woes to Bandi about how they are suffering due to lack of basic amenities which are adversely affecting their lives and how they were pushed to poverty with no work to sustain livelihoods.

Villagers complained that the district administration and local ruling party leaders convinced them to extract their consent to part with their lands assuring, financial compensation and an R&R package. However, while the administration remained silent, the ruling party leaders have been washing away their hands, making them feel let down and cheated by the State government.

Reacting to the same, Sanjay Kumar said that he was touring the villages under the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to know people's problems and address them.

Taking a dig on Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, he said everyone was happy when the Yadadri temple was being rebuilt. But, in reality, in the name of the temple, CM KCR and his henchmen have procured lands around the temple at throwaway prices. Also, devotees have to go to the temple in knee-deep water for darshan, and auto drivers, petty traders have lost their livelihoods, he added. Kumar said that farmers should feel happy when a project is built. But, they who have given their lands to the projects are not happy, "everywhere farmers are at the pain."

He said that CM KCR claimed that the minimum land value per acre in Telangana touched Rs 50 lakh after he had come to power and asked why the Basavapuram Reservoir PAFs whose lands are near to Hyderabad are not paid compensation by his government at the land rates. Bandi said that the PAFs of the Guravelli project under Husnabad in his constituency had been beaten by police to bleed. They were sent to jail for asking for compensation. The same situation is prevailing in Basavapuram, and the "sins committed by CM KCR against the farmers has left them in the lurch ," he rued.

Bandi alleged that CM KCR took commissions in the name of Basavapuram Project construction and asked him to provide some relief to the PAFs by returning a part of what he had amassed in the name of commissions.

Sanjay Kumar said that the Centre has extended financial assistance of Rs 218.32 crore under various schemes to the Bhongiri Assembly constituency in the past eight years. Modi government has also given financial assistance for the construction of Rythu Vedikas, the plantation programme, and Palle Prakruthi Vanalu. But, CM KCR's government is harassing the village sarpanches by not releasing the bills for the works done. The Karimnagar MP said that CM KCR had taken people for a raid in the name of double bedroom houses. The central funds released for PM Awas Yojana were diverted. But, the double bedroom houses have so far not been allotted to the beneficiaries, he alleged.

Bandi asked people not to trust CM KCR's words as the TRS chief only aims to purchase their votes in elections to get into power and leaves them in lurch post elections. Assuring BJP would stand by the side of Basavapuram Reservoir PAFs and people, he said BJP would not rest until they get justice.