CPI(M) Flags Inhumane Resettlement of Polavaram Displaced Families

Rapid Summary

• CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby criticized the lack of humanity in the Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) process for those displaced by the Polavaram irrigation project in andhra Pradesh.
• During his two-day visit, Mr. Baby interacted with displaced tribal families and assessed their living conditions in R&R colonies such as Thallooru and Nagulapalli in East Godavari district.
• Concerns raised included incomplete housing, lack of access to safe drinking water, inadequate delivery of entitlements, and absence of employment support under NREGA. Families from Nagulapalli reported traveling 10 km for ration supplies.
• Mr. Baby plans to meet other affected families along the banks of the Godavari and Sabari rivers on Sunday during his continued visit through East Godavari and Alluri Sitharama Raju districts.

Indian opinion Analysis

the challenges reported from displaced settlements highlight ongoing issues with large-scale infrastructure projects like Polavaram that inadvertently affect vulnerable populations such as tribal communities. The concerns over incomplete housing,poor infrastructure,inadequate basic services like water supply,employment schemes under NREGA yet to materialize,among others suggest a gap between planning and execution within resettlement programs.

A key takeaway is that these shortcomings risk undermining trust in developmental initiatives meant to promote broader socioeconomic benefits but result instead in localized hardships for communities directly impacted by displacement. Ensuring fair implementation of entitlements should be a priority moving forward-this is crucial not only for justice but also to uphold confidence in public projects as instruments of inclusive growth.

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