The Human Rights Forum (HRF) has taken serious exception over the manner in which the State government is “forcibly evicting” the residents of Thalla Proddatur, Chamaluru and Yerragudi villages that are facing submergence in the expansion of Gandikota reservoir project in Kadapa district, without devising a proper rehabilitation mechanism.
‘No amenities’
“The affected persons are not being treated in accordance with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. In fact, some of the affected parties have not even received any compensation, nor were they provided the basic amenities and infrastructure on the 95 acres of land at Jogapuram village allocated for the project-affected families,” said U.G. Srinivasulu and K. Sudha, the forum’s State president and secretary respectively.
The forum found fault with the State officials on a series of issues, including incomplete acquisition of the 80 acres meant for accommodating the displaced, hurriedly laying few roads and providing single phase electricity over the last ten days. Expressing ire over the inadequate compensation, flaws in the R&R package and undue haste shown in evacuating the families, the forum wondered how the authorities could expect the displaced to live in the wilderness at Jogapuram.
“The HRF is of the opinion that priority must be accorded to rehabilitating the projected-affected people with dignity, by fully respecting their rights. They must not be coerced and threatened in any manner,” a release by the forum stated.
The duo also strongly condemned the manner in which its Vice-President K. Jayasree was ‘wrongfully detained’ for the last two days at her Proddatur residence for extending solidarity and voicing concern for the victims.
