Stress due to losing land attributed to farmer’s death

Yella Reddy’s entire holding of 20 acres were notified under Gouravelli reservoir

People gather at the house of farmer Singireddy Yella Reddy who died at Gudatipally in Sangareddy district on Thursday.

Seventy-year-old Singireddy Yella Reddy, a native of Gudatipally village in Akkannapet mandal, passed away in the early hours of Thursday. A person passing away at this age is nothing unusual, but villagers here attribute his demise to the repeated stress he faced after losing land for Gouravelli reservoir.

Yella Reddy was once a proud farmer with 20 acres of fertile land in the village. In 2009, he lost about three acres of land for construction of Gauravelli reservoir and was paid an amount ₹ 2.1 lakh per acre, receiving ₹ 6.3 lakh. He spent the whole amount for improving the remaining 17 acres of land. But he was unlucky. After the formation of Telangana State, the Gouravelli reservoir was redesigned and the capacity increased from 1.2 tmcft to 8.4 tmcft. This time the government notified the 17 acres of Yella Reddy along with the lands of others and offered a compensation of ₹ 6.95 lakh per acre. He approached the High Court seeking better compensation and the case is still pending.

Singireddy Yella Reddy

More than a decade ago Yella Reddy’s second son Sampat Reddy died, leaving behind a family of three including a daughter and son. His elder son Ramachandra Reddy is totally dependent on farming and they do not know what to do now.

“We have lost our entire land under the reservoir and my father was worried about our future. Recently the government focused on speeding up works and the officials made it clear that the compensation amount of those who approached the court would be deposited in the court. This added to my father’s worries,” Mr. Ramachandra Reddy told The Hindu .

Even the sarpanch Baddam Raji Reddy attributed the death to the stress due to losing land under the reservoir, and said it was first such death in the village.