Neveuri Narasimha Reddy, who had committed suicide by consuming pesticide at Sangapur double bedroom houses on Sunday, was new to the two businesses — vehicle servicing and fast food centre — he had started. He had burnt a hole in his pocket to the tune of about ₹ 5 lakh and no idea on how to improve the business. Unable to come out of the debt trap, Narasimha Reddy took the extreme step.
Narasimha Reddy was from Etigaddakishtapur in Toguta mandala and was one among 1400 oustees from the village who lost their lands to Mallannasagar. The condition of almost all the oustees is similar, with minor variations if any.
All of them knew only farming and had no knowledge of any other occupation or livelihood.
Though all of them received compensation for their houses and lands, majority of them could not reinvest the amount on lands as old debts and family responsibilities like performing marriages of children took away most of the money. Almost every family of the displaced persons was left with bare minimum bank balances as they were forced to meet even the day-to-day expenses from the compensation they had received for giving up their lands and houses for the reservoir.
“Come rainy season, we used to work in both our fields as well as that of neighbours. It’s an exchange of work whenever required for others. Some times we used to work in others’ fields and make some money. Now, there is no such opportunity. At any given time there will be more than 800 people who are ready to work and wage employment is available for at most some hundred or two hundred persons. What should others do and where can they go for work?” asked one of the oustees from Etigaddakishtapur village, on condition of anonymity. Youth who have at most completed their Class X have migrated to towns like Siddipet and State capital Hyderabad to find some or other work.
Elderly people are finding it difficult to spend their time. When they were living in their village, they used to meet at someone’s house or at a common meeting point. Now there is no such opportunity it is gone out completely from their life. “Even allowing them to go outside the house has become a problem as they are unable to identify their homes, what with all the houses in the colony having same design and colour. They are not yet familiar with the numbering pattern of the houses. We are not allowing them to move out unaccompanied,” said another oustee.
