Middlemen threaten Srisailam project displaced

Atmakur: Middlemen allegedly enjoy a sway over the lands and have a vice-like grip over the residents in the Srisailam project submerged villages of Pathasiddeswaram, Janala and Balapalathippa, holding out threats of killing to innocent people, who are being forced to starve because of the harassment they are subjected to. The Kurnool district collector is allegedly in the know of the happenings.

These villagers, comprising fishermen, Chenchu girijans and dalits have been mainly eking out their living by taking up cultivation in the landsfrom past 30 years. They take up cultivation when the water level in the banks of the Krishna river falls in the Atmakur forest division. The middlemen allegedly claim ownership of these lands and are trying to stall the cultivation in the hilly areas, which lack power and road facilities.

The affected villages represented their woes to Collector Ch Vijaymohan before the Krishna Pushkaralu.

He had permitted the displaced persons to take up cultivation, allotting each family two acres even while declaring that farmers have no right over the submerged areas. This incurred the ire of the middlemen who got together and issued death threats to the villagers, saying that none would be able to rescue them if murdered and the bodies dumped in water, the terrorised residents told The Hans India.

The residents, who have been cultivating jowar, pulses, sunflower and gingelly in the lands, said that of late the threats by the middlemen have increased.

Satya Peter