Farmers demand reasonable compensation for their lands

Nellore: Farmers, who gave up their lands for the construction of Nadikudi- Srikalahasti railway line, demanded district Collector O Anand to take initiative for recommending reasonable compensation.

In the wake of the Central government decided to construct the long pending railway line between Nadikudi and Srikalahasti, Collector Anand interacted with the farmers of Ankupalle, Perumallapadu and Apparao Palem villages of Podalakuru, Chejerla and Atmakur mandals on Friday. Farmers of Ankupalle village alleged that the government did injustice to them by fixing very low price at the time of declaring compensation for their fertile lands, in which two crops will grow per year. They lamented of incurring huge loss. The farmers appealed to Collector Anand to ensure that they will get same compensation as those of Vamidaparthi village got for their lands.

Farmers of Perumallapadu said most of them will cultivate lemon and mango gardens and criticised that the government announced very low compensation for their lands during acquisition. Meanwhile, Apparaopalem village farmers complained that during land acquisition the government had specified fertile lands as dry lands (Metta Bhumi) in the records, incurring huge losses to them.

Responding to their complaints and requests, Collector Anand explained that he came to them to secure the facts and assured that compensation would be awarded as per the norms. He specified that compensation would be paid as declared by the authority related to Title disputes.

Pointing out that farmers got low compensation as less amount was specified in the papers during registration of their lands, the Collector assured them that he would do justice by bringing the issues to the notice of the government. Nellore RDO Anusha, Atmakur RDO Pavani, Tahsildars and others were present.