Khammam: Highway-hit farmers seek adequate payout

Khammam: Nearly 2,000 farmers affected by the 4-lane Greenfield highway project are up in arms against the government demanding adequate compensation. The Greenfield highway project is running through fertile agricultural lands affecting their livelihoods.

The 4-lane highway from Khammam to Devarapalli (Andhra Pradesh) greenfield project was taken up in 2018 with an estimated cost of Rs 5,600 crore. The project envisages to lay 160 kilometres of highway in the district through 1,900 acres affecting nearly 2,000 farmers.

The displaced farmers are demanding that the government reimbursement Rs 1 crore per acre of their land and a government job to a member of their family. Without making any efforts to compensate the farmers, the government is taking up the survey for the project. Displaced farmers, who are planning to take up agitation, are angry with the political leaders who are lending support to their cause.

A farmer Kasara Rajasekhar Reddy venting his anger, said that the farmers have already lost two crops. "We only know farming. We have been dependent on cultivation for the past many years. Nearly 500 farmers are going to lose their entire land," he said.

A case against the project is pending in the High court, but the government is going ahead with the survey, he said. "if the government is not responding to our demands, we are planning a huge protest in the district. the government conducted

survey programmes with the support of police. the survey conducted by the officers was wrong," he alleged.

He clarified to the government that the farmers are not against development, but are requesting proper survey and adequate compensation.