Village in Kothagudem vanishes, voters displaced, but elections to be held

Venkatesh Khani gram panchayat voters in Kothagudem face elections despite the village disappearing due to mining expansion. Displaced families living in tents or rented houses demand Indiramma homes, electricity and water. The election is held as the gazette was issued before displacement

Kothagudem: Voters and contestants in Venkatesh Khani gram panchayat, reserved for ST (Women) in Chunchupalli mandal of Kothagudem Assembly constituency, are facing an unusual predicament.

Though around 183 voters are registered under the gram panchayat with four wards, there is no village in existence. It effectively disappeared due to the expansion of the Venkatesh Khani opencast mine, forcing residents to move into areas under the Kothagudem Municipal Corporation.

The villagers earlier lived at 8-Incline and were relocated to Venkatesh Khani following the expansion of the Gautham Khani opencast mine in 1993-94. Once again, they were displaced when their houses were demolished in October for further mining expansion. Today, only a small gram panchayat office stands as the lone reminder of the village.

Under the relief and rehabilitation package, the State government allotted 100 square yards of land each to 79 families at Gangabishan Basthi in Kothagudem. However, speaking to Telangana Today, sarpanch candidate Boggam Manjula complained that though house sites were allotted, financial support for construction was not provided. Many displaced families are living in tents, sheds or rented houses.

“After living at Venkatesh Khani for three decades, we are now left with no home and scattered in different places in Kothagudem. The issues being faced by the villagers are the main agenda in the election campaign and we want to tell the outside world about the conditions they are facing,” she said.

Residents are demanding sanction of Indiramma houses for every family and electricity and drinking water facilities at Gangabishan Basthi. Explaining why elections are being held under such strange circumstances, Gram Panchayat Secretary Vijaya Shekhar said the voter list was prepared in June-July, and the final list was published in August when villagers were still living there.

Since the election gazette was issued before the displacement, it has become mandatory to conduct elections to the gram panchayat. The government might issue a gazette dissolving the gram panchayat after the election process concludes, he noted.