Yadadri-Bhongir: Baswapur oustee dies of heart attack; villagers protest with body

Narasimha, who was participating in the protest for the last 57 days, collapsed and died on the way to the camp.

Yadadri-Bhongir: Tension prevailed when the people of BM Thimmapur staged a dharna on the Baswapur-Bhongir road after a villager, Jupally Narasimha, died of a heart attack while on his way to the protest camp being organised by oustees of the Baswapur reservoir for the last 57 days demanding compensation.

Narasimha, who was participating in the protest for the last 57 days, collapsed and died on the way to the camp, which was about half a kilometre away from the protest camp.

With the villagers trying to bring his body in a tractor to the District Collectorate at Rayagir to protest, police prevented them, following which they staged a dharna on the road demanding justice to Narasimha’s family. Incidentally, Narasimha’s wife Anitha also collapsed during the protest, complaining of chest pain. She was shifted to the Bhongir area hospital, where her condition was stated to be stable. The villagers alleged that Narasimha was in shock after seeing evacuation notices pasted on houses in the village.

It was planned to acquire 4187 acres of land in the limits of BM Thimmapur, Chingavani thanda and Laxminaik thanda for the construction of the 11.93 tmc capacity Baswapur reservoir at an estimated cost of Rs.2,850 crore. The State government had announced a Relief and Rehabilitation (R&R) package of Rs.15 lakh per acre and Rs.7 lakh for each house. 855 houses in the villages were said to be affected. Compensation was already paid for 600 acres of land, while farmers, who were yet to receive compensation, stopping work on the reservoir and staging a protest on its bund for the last 57 days. Nearly 80 percent of work on the reservoir was completed.

Rs 33 crore released for R&R package

According to a senior official, the State government on Wednesday released an additional Rs.33 crore for the R & R package for the remaining oustees. The officials have informed this to the agitating villagers, he said.