BJP National Executive Member and MLC Somu Veerraju on Tuesday sought Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s intervention to stop conversion of the Kolamuru and Burugupudi wetlands for the housing purpose as the sites are prone to floods.
Both the wetlands, Kolamuru in Rajamahendravaram rural and Burugupudi in Korukonda mandal in East Godavari district, spread over 525 acres, are proposed to be distributed among 32,000 families. Nearly 400 acres of this land belongs to three individuals while the rest belongs to the other private landowners.
In addition to flagging environmental issues, the MLC has alleged that the government has paid ₹45 lakh per acre as against ₹24.5 lakh, which is double the rate offered for a land secured for the housing scheme.
In a letter written to Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday, Mr. Veerraju observed: “The Chief Minister should order a probe into the site selection procedure and package paid for the two wetlands. The State government is spending a whopping ₹250 crore, including for levelling the wetlands for the housing purpose.”
Referring to the site inspection reports (March 2020) submitted by Water Resource Department, Central Division Dowleswaram, Executive Engineer M.S.S. Ravi Babu, Mr. Veerraju said: “The Water Resource Department’s field inspection has concluded that the Kolamuru and Burugupadi wetlands are prone to the floods. If it is flooded, nearly one lakh people will have to be evacuated from the site. Moreover, levelling the land will lead to the inundation of the surrounding areas.”
Mr. Veerraju has appealed to the State government to cancel the project, and added that his party would intensify the protest in the event of the government failing to do so.
