The newly-constructed Anantagiri Reservoir is awaiting Godavari water from Mid Manair Dam even after the deadline of December 15 announced by the district administration has passed. The officials are awaiting instructions from higher-ups to take it up.
On the other hand, according to villagers, no notices were issued to the residents of Kochhaguttapally land oustees so far and they are clueless about when they should vacate the village as few were handed over keys to houses in the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) colony at Lingareddypally near the district headquarters on November 6 by Finance Minister T. Harish Rao.
However, a majority of the villagers have decided to stay back as they are yet to receive full compensation.
“Some of us have to receive compensation for structures, some for borewells. Some six single women are yet to get package and the government is saying they would not be extended the package as they have crossed the prescribed age limit. Where will they go and how will they live?” asked a villager on condition of anonymity.
Further, 22 families have stayed back because of dispute over recording of house measurements. The officials have reassessed the measurements but payment has not been made as per revised details.
Of the 54 youth in the village who crossed 18 years, only 28 have received the compensation of ₹ 5 lakh and a house site as promised. Another 26 youth are yet to accept compensation and their families have moved court for implementation of Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act – 2013 (LA Act- 2013).
The villagers are demanding that December 2019 be considered as the cut-off for taking the age of youth for extending the package and not 2017.
According to sources as many as 32 families from the village have filed a case in the court demanding implementation of LA Act- 2013. “We have filed a case for implementation of LA Act- 2013, and the case is pending. The court has directed not to release water till the total compensation is paid to us,” pointed out T. Praveen, one of the oustees, who has also been fighting a case in the court.
