Vattem reservoir oustees plan siege to TRS Bhavan, take out padayatra

Nagarkurnool: The oustees of Vattem Reservoir under Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation project (PRRLI), who have been on a 20-day-long relay hunger strike demanding the State government to immediately release the compensation for the lands that they have lost in the Venkatadri Vattem Reservoir, fed up with the insensitive attitude of the State government took out a padayatra to Hyderabad on Monday.

Speaking to The Hans India, the oustees said that they had earlier gave representation to local Tahsildar, District Collector and also to the peoples representatives for the release of compensation for the lands they lost under the reservoir.

However, neither officials nor any political leader had considered their pleas.

"After all our efforts went kaput, we have decided to go on hunger strike. However even after we sat under hot sun demanding our rightful share of compensation, no official or a political leader has approached us to know our problems.

Fed up with the insensitive attitude, we have decided to intensify our protest and take out a padayatra to the State capital. We want to lay siege to Telangana Bhavan for the government to hear our cries," said the agitating farmers.

While the farmers were on their way to Hyderabad for the Padayatra, district Superintendent of Police Sai Sekhar intervened and urged them to not to take out the Padayatra as the government had already acknowledged their problems and needed some time to resolve.

"We have already acknowledged the demands of the oustees of the Vattem reservoir and have already informed the same to the higher ups.

The authorities in Hyderabad are in the process of resolving the issue and may come out with a final solution in about 10 to 15 days. We are urging the people to be patient for some more time and do not create any law and order problem," said SP Sai Sekhar.

The SP also warned the agitators that without permission they were not permitted to take out any padayatra as they might be stopped by the police.

Not convinced with the SP, the agitators demanded the MLA to come and promise them early resolution of their problems. "We have lost almost 500 acres under the PRRLI project.

The government had released a notification to compensate for our lands in the year 2017. Till date, we have not received a single penny and the authorities are carrying out works in our lands without paying compensation.

While Mallanasagar oustees were paid compensation at market rates and paid immediately, why the government is showing step-motherly attitude towards us?" questioned an agitator.

Later, Nagarkurnool MLA Marri Janardhan Reddy, who took part in the discussion with the agitators, promised that he would take up the matter with Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and ensure that oustees get immediate relief.

The agitators though were convinced with the MLA's promise had decided to put the Padayatra on hold temporarily and wanted to carry out their relay hunger strike.

They said they would stop the protest only after the government comes and pays them their due share of compensation. Until then, they would not allow the contractor to carry out any kind of works on their lands.