Telangana CM faces tough protest by his own constituency people over Mallanasagar project
Komurvelli Mallanasagar project, considered to be the pet project of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, faces tough protests from all quarters.
In Short
- Komurvelli Mallanasagar project a major political test for CM.
- Residents of 14 villages protest project over fear of loss of land.
- CM's ally turns foe, launches massive protest against the project.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao's pet project, the Komurvelli Mallanasagar project, has already run into hurdles before it could take off and has become the first major political test for the CM even as he completes two years in office.
The project which has been proposed in Medak district aims to bring at least one crore acres of land in the state under irrigation in phases. Under the proposed project, 51,000 million cubic feet of water will be stored in a reservoir which will be used to irrigate 12 lakh acres in the drought-prone Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Warangal and Ranga Reddy districts.
The Rs 9,800 crore project, to be located in Etigadda Kistapur of Siddipet division of the district, requires about 12,700 acres of land. So far, the government has successfully acquired 8,400 acres of land.
VILLAGERS OPPOSE PROJECT
Since the project will submerge 14 villages in Thoguta and Kondapaka mandals containing about 3,000 houses, the villagers of these areas are up in arms against the government and have vowed to not part with their land.
Interestingly, out of the 14 villages, six of them fall under the Gajwel assembly constituency represented by CM K. Chandrashekhar Rao himself.
Understandably enough, the villagers are protesting and demanding market value or equivalent land for their land. They have rejected the government offer of Rs 5.8 lakh per acre as a compensation.
The Telangana CM is also facing an embarrassing situation as his one-time ally during the Telangana agitation M. Kodandaram has turned foe now and has launched a protest against the government opposing the project.
MALLANASAGAR JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE
Professor Kodandaram, backed by the entire opposition of the state Congress, BJP and the Telugu Desam Party, has constituted the Mallanasagar Joint Action Committee.
Speaking to India Today, Kodandaram questioned the government move and said that, "The project design is questionable. Either the government must give right compensation or construct project on his and protesting farmers' dead bodies."
The protesters say that there is a forest within a radius of one to five kilometres in Medak district, which should be used for the project instead of their lands and if it's not possible, then the capacity of the reservoir should be decreased from 50 TMC to 1.5 TMC.
GOVT COMPENSATION SLAMMED
The firebrand leader of Telugu Desam Party A. Revanth Reddy who had earlier held a 48-hour fast in support of the project oustees also criticised the government compensation and has even offered to purchase the Chief Minister's farmhouse land at the same rate offered as compensation to the farmers.
The state government had issued GOs 123 and 214, offering a rehabilitation package. But the villagers are demanding compensation as per the 2013 Land Acquisition Act which not only has Replacement and Rehabilitation package but also provides government jobs.
The Telangana chief minister is facing a tough challenge in the state, particularly in his own constituency and getting the project executed has become a prestige issue for the government.