2BHK works at Koheda hit land hurdle

Koheda (Siddipet): Prestigious 2BHK scheme of the State government seems to be heading towards a roadblock in Koheda mandal just a few days after Husnabad MLA Satish Kumar laid foundation stone for the construction of a model colony with 40 2BHK houses as Dalits and STs in Shanigaram village are resenting the government’s efforts to carry on with the construction work, claiming that they have been in possession of the lands for more than three decades.

A total of 103 families of SCs (Malas and Madigas) and STs (Erukala) were given 7 acres and 9 guntas of land way back in 1979 by D Chinna Mallaiah, the then MLA of Indurthi (now Husnabad) Assembly constituency.

Of these beneficiaries who belonged to the poor strata of society, some of them constructed houses and some of them have raised basements in the past couple of decades. There are 3 acres and 19 guntas of land currently lying open.

What used to be wastelands lying close to the hillocks where Naxalism thrived years ago have now became hot cakes, as the lands lie at a stone’s throw away from Rajiv Gandhi National Highway. An acre of land is worth around Rs 50 lakh and a gunta costs Rs 1 to Rs 1.5 lakh currently.

On February 6, when MLA Satish Kumar laid the foundation stone for construction of 2BHK houses in that land, Dalits and STs opposed the move and made it clear that they would not let anybody take away an inch of their land.

According to Shankar Kumar, RDO, Husnabad, as per rules and guidelines, beneficiaries were supposed to construct houses within three months after the allotment of land but they do not have pattas to claim ownership.

According to him, the government was only taking away 1 acre and 10 guntas of land for constructing 40 houses for the villagers who do not have houses and that the Dalits would still have 2 acres and 9 guntas left for them to construct houses for themselves.

“We have given them two options. One was that we would do plotting in those remaining 2.09 acres of land and give them pattas and we will also construct 2BHK houses for eligible Dalits and STs in their land.

They initially accepted the offer, but later changed their decision,” he told The Hans India.

However, the protesting members of SCs and ST communities who have been camping at the site beg to differ.

“Our ancestors were given those lands because our communities were literally outcast from mainstream life, working as bonded labourers for landlords in the village.

It is correct that our ancestors were unable to build houses due to their poor economic conditions and more importantly because they were not given pattas by politicians who kept the pattas with themselves, keeping us in dark.

Even then some of the beneficiaries dared to construct houses. But how can the Revenue authorities take away our lands without even giving us notices? If everything is about rule of law, what about humanitarianism?” asked G Ramesh, a Dalit who is leading the movement against land acquisition for 2BHK housing which reached day 5 on Friday.

No matter what offer Revenue officials or politicians may give to the Dalits and STs, they certainly are not ready to give away their lands at any cost.