In A.P.’s Ippatam village, flex banners highlighting development works greet visitors Premium

Village divided: Oppn. sympathisers allege demolition drive was a vengeful act while ruling YSRCP followers claim it was a proper encroachment removal exercise

New developments are taking place at Ippatam village in Tadepalli mandal in Guntur district, which was in news when Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief Pawan Kalyan visited the place after the alleged demolition exercise by the government, especially of the houses belonging to those who gave land for the JSP’s formation day celebrations in March. 

The village is about three kilometres away from the National Highway and about four km from the Mangalagiri-Tenali main road. 

When The Hindu visited the place a couple of days ago, there were flex banners displayed by the ruling YSRCP all around the village detailing the State government’s spend of over ₹6 crore on various development works there.

Some villagers, mostly related to the ruling party, displayed banners saying that their houses were not removed by the government and that they did not need any sympathy or money from anybody. They tied the flexies after Mr. Pawan Kalyan announced ₹1 lakh compensation to those who have lost their houses.

On the other hand, there was an unusual deployment of police forces in the village. 

The municipal authorities claimed that the encroachments had become a hurdle for road expansion and beautification works. The villagers said that the civic authorities had served notices to more than 50 houses in April and May, asking them to voluntarily remove the illegal constructions on encroached lands. 

Mr. Sivareddy Munnangi, whose compound wall was first removed in the village in August, said since he had encroached upon the government land, they removed it.