Displaced Khammam students face education crisis

The demolition of houses in Velugumatla in Khammam has left around 600 poor families homeless, severely disrupting the lives of school- and college-going children who lost their books, bags and study space during the exam season.

While the eviction drive was carried out to clear alleged encroachments, its impact on children has largely gone unnoticed amid the wider controversy.

Many families have shifted to relatives’ homes or temporary shelters, leaving children far from their classrooms and without study materials. Education activists warn the crisis is already affecting school attendance.

R. Venkat Reddy, national convenor of MV Foundation, visited the affected area and temporary shelters, describing the situation as deeply distressing.

“When I visited, the first thing I saw was that the children had been displaced from their area. That sudden shift itself is disturbing and impacting them,” he said.

According to Reddy, several children have been sent to relatives’ houses after their families lost homes, while others have stopped attending school. “Some children are being dropped out as they are not attending classes. There are also fee issues due to the impact of displacement,” he said. He added that the sudden upheaval has shattered children’s daily routines, leaving them disoriented.

Several displaced families are currently staying in temporary shelters, including a hall at Ambedkar Bhavan. Conditions there are poor, with overcrowding and unhygienic surroundings. “They have dumped everyone into one hall with poor maintenance and the stench of toilets,” Reddy said, adding that young children have already begun falling sick.

Many children reported losing school bags and books during the demolition. Others displaced toward the end of the academic year are struggling to return to school.

Reddy has written to the Telangana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights seeking urgent intervention, including medical camps, identification of affected children and support with school materials and safe shelter.

Meanwhile, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said the demolitions were part of an eviction drive to remove encroachments on Bhoodan land. Activists, however, warn that unless urgent steps are taken, the disruption to children’s education could cause long-term damage.