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Govt on top gear in acquiring land for Kovvada N-plant
Notwithstanding financial dire-straits into which the US-based Westinghouse Electric Company got into, which is supposed to build nuclear power plant (NPP) at Kovvada in Ranasthalam mandal, the state government is going ahead acquiring the land necessary for setting up the nuclear plant.
​Srikakulam: Notwithstanding financial dire-straits into which the US-based Westinghouse Electric Company got into, which is supposed to build nuclear power plant (NPP) at Kovvada in Ranasthalam mandal, the state government is going ahead acquiring the land necessary for setting up the nuclear plant.
Interestingly, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) too has not yet made any application to Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) for approval for setting up the NPP and yet the process is going on for acquisition of the land.
The total land proposed to be acquired for NPP is 2,072.84 acres and of this, 1,473.84 acres form government lands and 599 acres are private. Of the government land, payment has been made in respect of 767.98 acres to those who have either occupied it illegally or to those to whom the land was given as assigned land. For assigned land, Rs 18 lakh has to be paid for per acre and for encroachments the compensation is Rs 9 lakh per acre.
Of the remaining 705.86 acres of government land, inquiry is pending in respect of 61.95 acres, another 89.50 acres of land is under the control of above poverty line (APL) families, who are already having more than five acres of private land, which is against rules.
Another 222.14 acres land is under disputed category and the officials sent a report to the government for approval. The remaining 332.27 acres of land is clear government land. “Payment would be made for these 705.86 acres of lands soon after resolving pending issues and getting government approval,” said Srikakulam RDO, Balivada Dayanidhi to The Hans India.
“We will pay amount to 599 acres of zeroyat lands in May first week by that time total LA process will be completed,” the RDO added. “I do not understand why the state government is keen on land acquisition even though Westinghouse is not doing well,” CITU state secretary, Ch Narasing Rao says.
“After acquiring land from owners, assignees and occupants, the government may hand it to other companies, if the nuclear power plant proposal falls through” he stated.
Those from whom the land is being acquired are helpless. “At present, we are not able to resist LA process as officials are making payments as per new LA Act, 2013,” said Kovvada sarpanch M Polisu.
By: Chowdari Lakshmana Rao
