DRDO DRDL release 67.53 crores

Roshan Doula: The Central government sanctioned Rs 67.53 crore last month for the rehabilitation of Roshan Doula residents. It may be noted that the Central government had released Rs 14 crore for rehabilitation in 2014 but works could not begin as the funds were not sufficient. There is a mixed response among the residents to rehabilitation. 10 per cent of them are unwilling to relocate as the land prices have shot up several notches in the last few years.

The Central government on the other hand insists that they be relocated as the area falls between two Defence establishments and there could a security issue. The revenue department states that the sum is not sufficient to get new houses and rehabilitation. The Defence establishment has been sending proposals on shifting the colony and rehabilitation of the residents since year 2000.
Settlement Labourers who migrated from Mahbubnagar and Rangareddy districts arranged huts in the area and worked in construction sites in 1981.

A few of them even purchased land from a landlord Sama Bal Reddy for Rs 5 per sq yard. At present, nearly 600 families are residing, out of which 200 are tenants for the last 20 years. Those staying by paying low rentals are reluctant to leave. 28-year battle
The residents of Roshan Doula have been fighting for better drainage facilities, drinking water, sanitation and have even boycotted elections. For years they undertook protests in various forms such as boycotting elections, laying siege of government offices and agitation in front of Collector’s Office.

Demanding either rehabilitation or basic facilities, they warned to boycott GHMC elections in 2016. Their protest made the public representatives along with revenue officials to give assurance in addressing the issue. As the problem was not addressed as promised by them, the colony residents registered their protest at both the RDO office and the Collector office. The government came to their rescue and sanctioned funds to construct drainage and roads on temporary basis till the rehabilitation process was over. Simultaneously the colony people got the basic facilities.
Former Malkajgiri MP and Medchal legislator Chamakura Malla Reddy who noticed the hardship of the colony residents, along with local corporator Ramavath Padma Srinu Naik and some of the colony residents went to New Delhi thrice.

He met the then defence minister Arun Jaitley and present defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and explained the plight of the colony residents. Then the Centre sanctioned Rs 81.53 crore including Rs 14 crore that was already released in 2014. At the end of the day the directors of the DRDL and DRDO handed over the release letter of Rs 67.53 crore to the local corporator Padma Naik and the colony people recently.

Future task
Now the main task is acquisition of land for rehabilitation. When the first amount was released in 2014, the officials inspected Rajiv Swagruha in Bandlaguda and vacant lands under Saroornagar revenue limits. But due to lack of coordination among the colony residents the problem was not solved. Local leader Ravi Chary alleged that the allotted funds were not sufficient for rehabilitation.

The amount will be distributed as Rs 16 lakh to each house, but the land rates were sky rocketing and the allotment should be made accordingly, he said. Ravi requested the state government to construct independent houses by allotting additional funds. Another leader Jagan, Congress leader Middela Jitendar also echoed the same.

-Pasunuru Venkatesh