Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Scheme affected farmers seek 30 lakh relief

Chintalapudi: Hundreds of farmers besieged Mandal Tahsildar office at Chintalapudi town on Monday demanding that the government pay Rs30 lakh as compensation to the affected farmers of Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Scheme (CLIS).

The farmers led by CLIS Displaced Farmers Agitation Committee staged a rally in the town in the morning and culminated at the fire station centre. 
They resorted to road blockade at the fire station centre, disrupting the vehicular traffic on Eluru-Chintalapudi-Sattupalli road.

Later they reached Mandal Tahsildar’s office and obstructed the MeeKosamprogramme conducted by the tahsildar. They gheraoed tahsildar for some time and questioned him about the least compensation to their lands.

The farmers later started the Vanta-Varpu at the Tahsildar’s office. They also staged begging on the streets protesting the government’s attitude towards them. 

The farmers stated that the government was indifferent towards the problems of farmers in the district and pointed out that the government had paid highest compensation to farmers of Pattiseema Lift irrigation scheme (PLIS) and neglected the demands of CLIS farmers, who are seeking compensation on par with the PLIS acquisition. 

Former MLA Ghanta Murali Ramakrishna, A P KouluRythuSanghamdistrict secretary K Srinivas, CLIS Displaced Farmers Agitation Committee president Alavala Khadar Babu Reddy, addressing the protest, alleged that the government was neglecting the CLIS farmers and demanded the officials to stop digging of CLIS canal until discussions with the farmers.