VIJAYAWADA: Encroachments are turning into a neverending menace in Vijayawada as they are mushrooming manifold in Vijayawada city. With the lack of space in the city, people have began encroaching upon Krishna river bed and Budameru rivulet banks in connivance with political leaders.
The encroachments are seen along the river bank starting from Ramalingeswaranagar, Bhupesh Gupta Nagar, Ranigarithota and other areas of the city. These encroachments have become troublesome to the irrigation and revenue officials who are facing problems in evacuating them during the monsoons and floods. Over 3,000 people residing on the Krishna river bed have been shifted to rehabilitation centres after five lakh cusecs of flood water have been released at the Prakasam Barrage last week.A daily wage earner, Durga Prasad, who resides in a rented house on the river bed says he has no other choice but to stay in the house though it is hit by floods every single time. "The household articles are damaged and I cannot stay any where else because I cannot afford the rents outside this place," he laments.
Interestingly, some of them who have political influence have began encroaching upon the river bed and are constructing houses there. It is alleged that some of them are renting out their constructed houses.No retaining wall In 2005, a proposal was made to construct a retaining wall at Ramalingeswaranagar at the cost of `6 crore for which tenders were called. In 2009, when the Prakasam Barrage received nearly 11 lakh cusecs of flood water, the irrigation department sent proposals worth Rs. 600 crore to raise the banks of Krishna river to prevent flood waters from submerging lowlying areas. However, the idea was later, dropped as the proposal was costing a whopping Rs. 600 crore. Political interference"Also, the construction of the wall to prevent encroachments is not not the right solution because the flood waters increase and flow into other areas, submerging them," says an executive engineer.Expressing concern over increasing encroachments, KS Murthy, a resident of Krishnalanka, says officials have to find out a permanent solution to prevent illegal constructions on the river bed and beautify the river bund for the benefit of residents of several colonies located along the river bank in the city.
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