Tension prevailed for some time on the Rajiv Rahadari at Sangaipally crossroads near Gajwel constituency headquarters on Sunday, when a large number of oustees of the Mallannasagar project held a protest raising slogans against the government for not extending them a genuine compensation.
Traffic came to a standstill for about one-and-a-half hours on Rajiv Rahadari between Hyderabad and Karimnagar as the oustees sat on the road. Police intervened and promised to take up their issues with the officials concerned and get them addressed within 10 days, as the oustees warned of intensifying their agitation if the problems were not addressed.
Accusing the government of failing to solve their problems though the project was completed three years ago, the oustees walked about four kilometres to Rajiv Rahadari and squatted on the main road. They asked the government to pay the remaining compensation, sanction houses and package for those who crossed the age of 18.
“People from submerged villages of Mallannasagar vacated their houses trusting the government. But, three years had passed and some promises are yet to be fulfilled. No houses are being allotted to them and to escape allotment of houses, they are being branded as non-locals,” said D. Pratap Reddy, Sarpanch of Etigaddakishtapur, one of the submerged villages. He said that they were facing problems in villages as the oustees were constantly grilling them and officials were not responding despite repeated appeals.