Mancherial: Illegal structures in buffer zone of Rallavagu to be demolished

Rallavagu is a tributary of Godavari river and once a source of irrigation for farmers. It flows for 7.5 kilometres in the town. However, the structures including huts were built in the buffer zone of the stream, affecting the course of the water body.

Mancherial: About 10 to 15 allegedly illegal structures that were found to be in the buffer zone of Rallavagu, which passes through agriculture fields and residential colonies of the district centre, would be demolished soon.

Rallavagu is a tributary of Godavari river and once a source of irrigation for farmers. It flows for 7.5 kilometres in the town. However, the structures including huts were built in the buffer zone of the stream, affecting the course of the water body.

A survey was carried out as part of identification of the government land to construct a proposed retaining wall to prevent flooding of low-lying areas in the district centre by backwater of Godavari and rainwater of Rallavagu. The retaining wall is going to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 260 crore soon.

“The illegal structures mainly huts and unauthorised houses built in the buffer zone of the stream were identified during the survey. These structures will be razed once the work on the retaining wall commences,” Goutham, junior engineer of the irrigation department of Mancherial mandal told ‘Telangana Today.’

Officials said that the buffer zone of the stream varies from 80 metres to 120 metres. They noted that surveys were already conducted to fix the maximum water level. They stated that the stream entered private lands measuring in 20 acres over a period of time. They opined that a stream could naturally change its course and compensation could be given to owners of the lands.

A meagre portion of land may be acquired for construction of the retaining wall. Retaining wall with a 13-metre height at Godavari and 3-metre at Carmel Convent High School would be constructed. Tendering process will be completed in a month or two. Administration sanction is likely to be accorded in the first or second week of September.

Meanwhile, a bridge is going to be built across the stream at Telangana Amaraveerula Stupam on bypass road to provide connectivity to residents of Rangapet village as part of a pack of the retaining wall. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is expected to lay the foundation stone for the work on the retaining wall.