Families of potters of Bangaruguda in Adilabad rural mandal rejected the offer of 2 BHK houses made by the district administration three days back. They refused to vacate the plots of land about 4 km away from district headquarters town on the Satnala road where they live and work.
Adilabad Joint Collector K. Krishna Reddy had visited Bangaruguda and interacted with the 100 potter families who occupy about 30 acres of the 100 acres of land identified by the district administration for construction of 2BHK houses for poor. They were told to vacate their 30 ft X 60 ft size plots for the housing scheme and get a 2BHK house in lieu of it.
“Not at the cost of our livelihood,” declared Egidi Ushanna, president of Adilabad Kummari Shalivahana Sangham as he voiced opposition to the proposal. “We have no use of a 2BHK house if it uproots us from our work place,” he added.
No space
“The 2BHK house will have no space left for work. We need 30 ft X 60 ft land to work, accommodate clay heaps and the kiln and a store room,” explained Sangem Buchamma, another potter.
“The move could not have come at a worse time. We are in the thick of the ‘ranjan’ (unique clay pot) season and government wants us to vacate,” lamented Egidi Dattu, a senior artisan.
The potter families have been allocated these plots more than 15 years ago. The lands however, were not regularised by the government as a result of which they have been termed illegal occupants.
Shocked
The artisans established their workshops painstakingly over the years and now earn a decent livelihood. “Just when things were looking up this issue has come as a bolt from the blue,” observed a distraught Ushanna.
Mr. Krishna Reddy told The Hindu that he has raised the issue with Forest Minister Jogu Ramanna who assured that he would seek directions from the government.
