PRRLI oustees stage stir seeking payment of dues

Nagarkurnool: The displaced people of Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation project, who lost their lands under canals and reservoirs, staged a unique protest by standing on a single leg in Potireddypally village of Bijinepally mandal in Nagarkurnool district on Monday.

Earlier on Monday, a large number of protesters visited the Vattem reservoir at Potireddypally and stopped the works and stated that they would not allow the authorities to continue work in their lands until the government clears all their compensation dues.

The protesters raised slogans against the government and demanded immediate release of their pending compensation. "We were told that the government would provide compensation at market rate for our lands and also offer one government job to each household that loses lands under PRRLI. But after the land is taken, no government official has come forward to pay the compensation. We have been protesting for the past 13 days now, but no one is listening to us. We will not stop and will continue to protest until the government fulfils all the promises it made to oustees," said the protesters.

Under Vattem Reservoir, as many as 70 people have lost their lands. All the 70 people along with their family members have been staging a protest for the last 13 days and pressing against government to fulfil the promises it made to oustees before taking away their lands.

The protesters also expressed fearing that some ruling party leaders were threatening to file cases against them and adopting suppressive tactics. The Congress, CPI and BJP party leaders extended their support to the protesters.