The mysterious formation of huge sinkholes with deafening noise in three villages in Chintakommadinne mandal of Kadapa district has spread to three more villages in the mandal, spreading fear among villagers.

Even as the Geological Survey of India officials are analysing the causes for the phenomenon in Nayanoripalle and Peddamusalreddipalle and near Sri Bugga Malleswara Swamy temple in Chintakommadinne mandal a fortnight ago, the emergence of fresh sinkholes in Goodavandlapalle, Buggaletipalle and Buggalapalle in the mandal is giving sleepless nights to its residents.

Meanwhile, officials plunged into action on the orders of Kadapa District Collector K.V. Ramana and evacuated people from Nayanoripalle and Peddamusalreddipalle following the formation of sinkholes of a diameter of 25 feet. Land sunk, forming 15 feet-wide and seven-feet deep circular sinkholes at four places in Buggaletipalle and Buggalapalle villages in Chintakommadinne mandal on Sunday.

A farmer, Rasool Reddy, who got his field ploughed with a tractor on Saturday, was baffled finding a large sinkhole of 20 feet diameter filled with water on Sunday. Three similar sinkholes were formed in the banana plantation in Takkoli Lakshmipathi Reddy, damaging drip irrigation equipment and engulfing nearly 40 banana plants. Chintakommadinne Tahsildar Gunabhushan Reddy and MPDO Ramachandra Reddy examined the sinkholes along with a surveyor.

School demolition

Last week, a large sinkhole had formed in front of the mandal parishad school building at Nayanoripalle village, and the school compound wall, a water tank and some trees fell into it. On the Collector’s orders, officials took up demolition of the mandal parishad school building at Nayanoripalle, as its condition was bad. The school has 33 students and classes were held for them in a mosque in the village, according to the Chintakommadinne Tahsildar.

“People of several villages of Chintakommadinne are scared of entering their agricultural fields and fearing formation of sinkholes. The government must press into service scientists to ascertain the reasons for the formation of sinkholes and dispel fears of people,” Ramamohan Reddy, a farmer from Buggalapalle, said.