CPI(M) writes to Andhra Pradesh Governor, flags failures of governments in helping Polavaram project affected families

CPI(M) State committee member Y. Venkateswara Rao, MLC Lakshman Rao and others said the State and Central governments have not been taking initiative to solve the problems of the displaced people.

The CPI(M) on Monday wrote to Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, requesting him to direct the State government to look into the problems faced by the Polavaram project displaced families (PDFs). The party also wanted the Governor to ask the Union government to take up redressal measures.

CPI(M) State committee member Y. Venkateswara Rao, MLC Lakshman Rao and others said the State and Central governments have not been taking initiative to solve the problems of the displaced people. Four mandals of ASR district and two of Eluru district were in flood waters for about a hundred days during last year’s floods in the River Godavari. Thousands of families suffered. The government did not extend them any help, except for the ₹2,000 per family. Essential commodities were not supplied and no compensation was given. Floods may occur this July and August as well. “We request that precautionary measures be taken now,” they said.

The CPIM leaders said the displaced people should not be evacuated from the villages till the relief and rehabilitation measures are completely implemented. The development and welfare measures should be continued as usual in the submergence villages. Re-survey should be taken up on the basis of floods that occurred in 1986 and 2022. The  Rehabilitation should be completed in all villages at a time and not in phases, they said. 

The CPI(M) leaders said that mandal has to be taken as a unit and all the affected people be provided with relief and rehabilitation. A sum of ₹20 lakh should be paid per acre for the land that the government takes from farmers in the mandals to be submerged. Every displaced family should be given ₹10.50 lakh irrespective of contour statistics, as per the assurance of the Chief Minister in the Assembly, they added.