No ‘lockdown’ for oustees of Kondapochamma

Mamidayala and Bahilampur villagers being shifted to new colony

In what could be termed as a surprise move, some of the oustees from both Mamidayala and Bahilampur villages are being vacated by the authorities. This despite the lockdown announced by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Both these villages are getting submerged under Kondapochamma reservoir. Oustees of Thanedarpally tanda and Thanedarpally were already shifted to new houses at Tunkibollaram.

On March 22, the nation observed Janata Curfew and the lockdown was extended till March 31 by Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao. Incidentally, getting people vacated from their homes and shifting them to new colonies has been taking place in the constituency being represented by him.

Under pressure

The oustees from both the villages informed

The Hindu that they are being shifted from the village for the past two days. They are experiencing the pressure from the authorities and vacating the villages even during ‘lockdown.’ “No one dares to speak to the media. Some of those who filed cases in the court for right compensation are also not ready to express themselves. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has asked people to isolate themselves in houses, but here, in our villages, all those regulation are floated,” said B. Venkatarama Reddy, mandal parishad president from Bahilampur.

Pointing out at the large number of vans parked on the outskirts of village, he said that this shows the involvement of officials in forcing the oustees get vacated during the lockdown period. He said that even the government school in the village was dismantled on Tuesday.

“All of them vacating the village were already allotted houses at Tunkibollaram Rehabilitation and Resettlement Colony, and some of them even got them modified. They want to spend the Telugu New Year in their new houses and hence are voluntarily moving to new houses. We have no role in this,” said an officer on condition of anonymity.