Wide spread rumours that the houses are being allotted to the shelterless is causing commotion at Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) and District Collectorate in Machilipatnam.
The people are going en masse to the Collectorate to submit applications urging the government to sanction houses for them at Jakkampudi. It became a Herculean Task for the officials to control the crowd. At a point of time, the police posted pickets at the VMC and the Collectorate.
The applicants were turning their ire on the Collectorate officials for misleading them. “We submitted the application at Collector's office. The officials asked us to see the Municipal Commissioner here on Thursday. Whereas, the corporation officials are asserting that houses would not be allotted now,” says M. Satyavathi, a resident of Vidyadharapuram. The officials are playing games with the poor. If there are no houses, why they should take applications, she questions.
N. Lakshmi, another applicant, says, “We have spent nearly Rs.200 for submitting the applications. Every one of us has slips issued by the VMC five years ago. They are just making a mockery of over poverty.”
Gathering at UCD wing
A good number of applicants gathered in front of the Urban Community Development (UCD) wing of the corporation. However, none of them could spell out who gave them the information on the housing. When asked whether they were aware of the statements issued by the Collector and the Municipal Commissioner that the Jakkampudi houses would be allotted only for those families who were evicted, they pleaded ignorance of such statements.
“If they have no intention to provide us houses, then why should they issue slips to us. They also took applications in Bandar a fortnight ago,” says G. Venkata Subba Rao and others of Krishnalanka.
When contacted, Vijayawada (Central) MLA Malladi Vishnu says that the opposition leaders have been instigating the people to storm the VMC and Collectorate. The opposition parties are raising false hopes among the people with their evil designs.
The government is committed to provide houses. Nearly 40,000 houses will come up in the city to provide shelter to the needy, he adds.
