Though the process of extending Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) package to Mallannasagar project oustees is nearing completion, there seems to be no end to the issues that are cropping up every other day. Earlier, farm labourers, who were not covered under the Government Order 123, had to fight their case in High Court to get compensation for loss of livelihood, and now, it’s another villager, K. Srilatha, who has found herself in a peculiar situation.
After losing her father Rami Reddy in 2005 and mother Swaroopa in 2009, she was brought up by her brother Rajasekhar, who is four years older to her. With the Mallannasagar project taking shape, their village along with eight others would be submerged and they would lose six acres of land and their house. For this, Rajasekhar was paid ₹6 lakh per acre as compensation and was allotted a house at Mutrajpally for which he was issued a certificate as well.
But Srilatha has to prove that she is eligible to receive the compensation of ₹5 lakh and 250 square yards under the R&R package. For which she has to be 18 years old. She claims that she was born on June 4, 1996, and as proof of that, she has already submitted her class 10 certificate along with Aadhaar and voter identity cards to the officials. But nothing has come of it.
The story of another villager, G. Kiran Kumar, 24, is no different. In fact he was two years senior to Srilatha in college. His mother G. Anasurya received compensation, but his name was missing in the list of oustees. Born on June 16, 1993, he has completed his graduation and teacher training course. He too has submitted all the relevant documents, including his class 10 certificate, to the officials concerned to prove his age. But he has not received any response from the government.
It is found that as many as 24 youngsters at Erravalli, who are above 18 years of age, have not been extended the R&R package. “We have submitted a memorandum to Gajwel Revenue Divisional Officer D. Vijayender Reddy in this regard, but have not received any response from the officials,” Palle Raju, vice-president of the village, told The Hindu .
When contacted, a revenue official, on condition of anonymity, said, “Many of the applications are not genuine and so are the certificates submitted by the youngsters. Maybe, one or two are genuine. But we are yet to scrutinise the documents and find out the facts”.
