Farmers critical of govt giving short duration for airing grievances

Amaravati: Time limit given to Amaravati farmers to submit grievances to High-Power Committee will come to an end by Friday.

Majority of farmers in the capital region have already expressed their opposition to the State government's move to establish three capitals and relocate the executive capital from Amaravati.

Farmers felt that the deadline set for them to air their grievances was short. The government asked the farmers to submit grievances between January 14 and 17. With three holidays in between, the farmers are left with just one day to give their views on the proposal.

The actions of the High-power committee in asking the objections of more than 28,000 farmers with such a short notice of four days shows the malicious intent, the farmers felt.

A section of farmers also observed that when the CRDA intended to take lands, the government conducted Grama Sabhas, but there was no such move from the government now.

K Anil Kumar, a farmer, at the Amaravati explained, "the High-Power Committee invited public at large to give suggestions and recommendations for the consideration of the committee for the development of the AP although the committee is not clear with regard to the suggestions it has sought. However, having regard to the same I have given suggestions for the development of the capital city and also the State."

Another farmer, Aluri Srinivasa Rao, said the CRDA had invited the farmers to surrender our lands under the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) for the developed reconstituted plots in the world-class capital city, which will be constructed in accordance to notified master and infrastructure plans. The lands were taken after passing a unanimous resolution in AP Assembly.

The government and the CRDA notified Land Use Master Plan for Amaravati capital city on February 22, 2016 after considering objections on the draft plan.

Another farmer from Amaravati region observed that the State government had allocated around 1,300 acres of land to various institutions in the CRDA, assuring them that the capital would be developed in Amaravati.

D Ramana, another farmer, said a total of Rs 41,678 crore worth works has been launched and the works were in progress, the CRDA laid raft foundation for all the government complexes. But at this juncture, the government stopped all the development activities without according any reason and now established the committee to review the finalised plans, he added.

He said that the CRDA is under an obligation to hand over the developed reconstituted plots in the capital city with all the LPS and trunk infrastructure within the period prescribed. However, without completing the development of the infrastructure, including trunk and LPS infrastructure, the CRDA and the State government stopped the development activities. It would lead to loss of livelihood of stakeholders, he added.