Poor people evicted from basti await 2BHK houses

LB Nagar: Telangana government has introduced the two-bedroom scheme project prestigiously before four years. There is no progress in work and contractor is not following the orders of GHMC Commissioner.

The government offered 1 lakh houses to the poor people in their election manifesto of 2014. Munsoorabad Nancharamma Basthi people are expressing their anger as no houses are given to them after the TRS came to power. In LB Nagar division, two blocks of c+s+9 are sanctioned with a budget of 25 crore in Erukula Nancharamma Basthi.

Nearly 200 members will be beneficiaries with this project and its foundation took place on October 22, 2015 by former MLA R Krishnaiah. People who lived in that basthi are forced to vacate for this project. Former GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar said that the houses would be made available within one year. The then Commissioner who took charge in 2018 conducted a visit to the site and said that houses would be available by Dasara in 2018 and the word was not kept.

Present GHMC Commissioner Dana Kishore conducted a visit and said that houses would be given by March 2019, but the basti people are still not handed over their houses. Contractor of the project is not following the words of Commissioner. It has been four years and still the project is not yet completed. Basthi people are facing problems to pay the rents. They are in a dilemma to understand whether the fault is with the officials or the contractor.

"We never used to worry at the time when we were in our huts but now we are almost paying Rs 5,000 as rent which is very difficult for people like us to pay. We request the government to give our houses and help us to stand financially," says Godala Raju.

"Works are not moving and the deadline which was crossed. We are facing a lot of trouble. We request the government to construct and give us houses as soon as possible," says Anjamma. "It is a tough task to feed children after paying rents. We request officials to finish the work and hand over the houses to us," pleads Saidhulu.

Speaking on the issue, the contractor said, "There are no pending bills which are to be released by the government. Some of the statements need to be approved. We finished all the works except some finishing works." He further added, "As it is a building of 9 floors, power, drainage, water issues are not finalised. Officials told me to wait for a few days more."