Shift Polavaram evacuees by Dec 31: District Collector

Eluru: District Collector R Muthyala Raju has directed the officials to shift the Polavaram evacuees to newly built colonies by providing all facilities before December 31. He reviewed the housing and provision of basic facilities at colonies constructed for people affected by Polavaram project with officials of various departments here on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, the Collector said that for the people in the inundated habitations on account of the Polavaram project, 30 colonies would be constructed. The responsibility of building these colonies was assigned to five departments.

Out of the 30 colonies, construction of houses, provision of electricity, roads, drains and other facilities in 17 colonies should be completed and people assigned to these colonies should be shifted by December 31.

With regard to these 17 colonies responsibilities of four colonies each were assigned to the Roads & Building, Housing Corporation and Irrigation, two for Panchayat Raj and three to Tribal Welfare Department.

For funding these colonies, Rs 39.14 crore are necessary and the government were released by the government. He directed ITDA project officer and Jangareddigudem RDO to settle all problems in the rehabilitated colonies.

On the distribution of land for the rehabilitated people, the District Collector informed that as against 7,000 acres supposed to be distributed, the government so far distributed 6,000 acres of land.

Stating that in Polavaram affected villages, the non-tribals have been asking for money instead of house, the Collector asked the officials to find out the number of non-tribals seeking money. Joint Collector M Venugopal Reddy, Polavaram project R & R package special officer Anand and others were present.