‘Share your lands with us, help us continue as farmers’

Mamidyala oustees write to Chief Minister and other leaders

Residents of Mamidyala look on as water enters the houses allotted to them in the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Colony at Tunkibollaram in Siddipet district.

Telangana will never forget the sacrifices made by the oustees who gave up their lands to enable the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project become a reality, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said after launching the pumping of water from Markook pump house into Kondapochammsagar, in the presence of Tridandi Srimannarayarayana China Jeeyar Swamy, on Friday last.

The Chief Minister referred to the villages — Mamidyala, Bahilampur, Thanedarpally and Thanedarpally thanda — that were submerged under the Kondapochammasagar and said that the government would provide employment to the youth of the displaced families in the food processing industries that would be established near the Tunkibollaram Rehabilitation and Resettlement Colony

Some of the displaced farmers from Mamidyala made a fervent appeal to Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao and other leaders who have significant land holdings to part with a portion of their holdings to ensure that the displaced farmers not only continue to till the land but also reap the benefits of the assured irrigation provided by the Kaleshwaram Project.

Landless labour

Making it clear that they were not happy with having to join the class of landless persons, residents of Mamidyala — E. Mattadamma, Patchimadla Balanarsu and others — wrote letters a day prior to release of water into Kondapochammasagar to Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao, Industry and IT Minister K. Taraka Rama Rao, former MP K. Kavitha, chairman of Forest Development Corporation V. Pratap Reddy and former MLA T. Narsa Reddy, among others.

“We were the residents of Mamidyala village in Mulugu mandal who were forced to give up everything due to submergence of our village in Kondapochammasagar. Once proud farmers and involved in farming, now we are not in a position to enjoy the fruits of Godavari water from Kaleshwaram reaching our area,” the displaced farmers wrote.

Govt. compensation

“You can recognise and repay our sacrifice by sharing only one fourth of your land with us. The government has been offering compensation under Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act – 2017 (Telangana Amendment). You can get the compensation from the District Collector of Siddipet for the land you are going to voluntarily share with us. Your kindheartedness will be recognised by society forever and also provide a chance for us to stand as farmers again and enjoy the fruits of Godavari water.”