SRIKAKULAM: The Srikakulam district administration is facing many hurdles in distributing cheques for Vamsadhara project displaced persons. Although the government has allocated ₹421 crore for the immediate payment for structures and eligible youngsters under the Youth Package, disbursement of cheques has turned into a Herculean task in mandals of Kotturu and Hirmandalam.
The villagers geared for fresh round of agitations in many areas, causing tension among the administration.
The senior officials observed that the a few undeserved villagers of Krishnapuram have been included for the package. It has caused agony among the eligible persons who have been waiting for compensation for the last 12 years.
With the agitation over the immediate payment of compensation on January 22, the government forced officials to complete the disbursement process as early as possible. With the pressure from the ministers, the revenue officials prepared cheques and planned to distribute them from January 31.
Inquiry into malpractices
However, it reportedly led to malpractices by revenue officials who reportedly paid up to ₹5 lakh each for many undeserved persons. After observing the situation, Srikakulam Collector P. Lakshmi Narasimham and Joint Collector K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu suspended a couple of officials in Kotturu mandal and order a high-level inquiry into the matter by a team headed by Joint Collector-2 P. Rajanikanta Rao.
It was observed that many issues raised by displaced persons had not yet been resolved in regard to more than 50 villages out of 107 affected places. With frequent transfers of local officials, missing of genuine persons in the list, migration of many villagers, pressures from public representatives and huge difference between the compensation fixed 12 years ago current market rates of lands and other issues were said to be the main reason for delay in payments at many places.
YSR Congress Party District President Reddi Shanti and the Party official spokesperson Yenni Dhanunjay alleged that the State government had utterly failed in handling the villagers’ grievances.
“The government pays huge amount as compensation ranging from ₹13 lakh to ₹32 lakh for farmers who surrender their lands for Bhogapuram airport and Kovvada atomic power plant. It also ensures exemption from payment of capital gains tax for farmers of Amaravati. But it pays only ₹1.3 lakh as compensation for the farmers who gave up their properties for Vamsadhara Project Phase-2. It is absolutely unfair. It should pay compensation as per the New Land Acquisition Act-2013,” they demanded.
The senior officials indicated that that it was not possible to revise rates since payments were being made for the last 10 years. “A majority of the grievances were resolved. A few issues will be settled in a couple of weeks. We requested villagers not to make comparison with any other areas. The government extended many benefits, including youth package which allows each youngster to get up to ₹5 lakh. For the first time, it was given in the State,” said a senior official.
“To avoid further commotion, inquiries will be done at four levels before finalization of amount. It will be done at the Srikakulam Collector’s office to ensure transparency in payments,” said a senior official.
