PEDDAPALLI | Jan 25, 2017: Scores of villagers from Peddampeta and Mangalampally in Ramagiri mandal and oustees of Open Cast Mine (OCP) -3 of Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) staged a protest for over 36 hours seeking immediate settlement of Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) package.

Hundreds of villagers squatted at coal mines area obstructing coal production. Police was deployed to avoid untoward incidents. The affected people made it clear that until the government gives them an undertaking assuring immediate implementation of all benefits under the R&R package they would not call off their agitation.

However, they called off the strike after Manthani MLA Putta Madhu and Peddapalli joint collector S Prabhakar Reddy visited the site and negotiated with them. The MLA and JC assured them that a special meeting will be called on January 27 to discuss the issue with the villagers.

“Though nine years have passed, the government has failed to provide R&R package to the affected families. We expected that the government would resolve the issue but it is behaving like the previous governments,” said Gudla Satish Kumar, one of the oustees of OCP.

In 2007 the then Congress government issued gazette notification for land acquisition from villagers and exgratia was paid in 2010. Since then, villagers who lost their houses and lands have been waiting for R&R package.

Currently, they reside in their houses as they have not received their R&R package. The houses have developed cracks as coal blocks are being blasted by the company. They are also facing pollution hazards.

(Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/)