N. Kanakaiah is a resident of Brahamana Banjerpally in Toguta mandal. He was once a proud owner of ¾ acre land in the village and used to cultivate it. In addition, he used to work in the fields of others in the village. He was getting his three girl children educated at a private school in Siddipet, paying an annual fee of ₹45,000.
But the year 2016 changed his life once for all.
The government purchased his land under GO 123 during 2016 and paid a compensation of ₹5.5 lakh. Not only his land, but land of all farmers in the village was purchased by the government under the same GO and later the land was tilled with heavy machines.
For the past four years, Kanakaiah has no work. Moreover, he was spending money that he received by selling the land. As he has no two-wheeler, he could not go out of the village frequently in search for work.
The condition of E. Yellam is somewhat better, though not too hopeful. Yellam, who used to work in the fields, is now collecting broom sticks from the neighbouring forest areas and selling them in the market. This naturally was not sufficient to meet his family needs completely but only to some extent partially. He managed to buy a small piece of residential plot near Gajwel. Presently, he is penny-less and is wandering in search of work. Same is the case with many in the village. Demanding the authorities to allot them house sties at Sangupally near Gajwel, where they were promised 2BHK houses, the villagers staged protest two days ago. “We have lost all our lands and there is no work to do in the village and in the surrounding areas. We may find work and go as daily labour if the authorities allot sites at the promised Sangupally,” Mr. Kanakaiah told The Hindu.
