Farmers oppose airport expansion

Vijayawada: The government is facing a big trouble from the people and farmers of Gannavaram area these days. They are already on a warpath with the government for its move to acquire lands for airport expansion. Presently, they are up in arms against the government for its move to acquire lands for the diversion of the Eluru Canal to facilitate the expansion of the airport.

• Ryots are against diversion of Eluru canal and acquisition of the land for the purpose
• The State government had proposed a second runway for the airport as part of the expansion plans

The farmers, who refused government’s proposal of Amaravati land pooling package, are selling their lands at a higher price. According to sources over 550 acres were sold out of the total 750 acres proposed for acquisition for the airport's expansion. With the ruling party leaders purchasing these lands from the farmers at Rs 1.25 crore to Rs 1.50 crore an acre, officials feel that land pooling would be completed successfully in the next two-three months.

Sources said that few leaders purchased over 50 to 60 acres here and would be getting 5,000 to 6,000 square yards in the commercial plots in Amaravati. Even before the officials could heave a sigh of relief on the airport land acquisition, the government had brought forward land acquisition for the Eluru Canal expansion, keeping the future plans of the airport, besides a small portion in the present phase.

The State government had proposed a second runway for the airport, which is likely to come up in the next 15 to 20 years and it required diversion of the Eluru Canal that passes through the villages in the vicinity. The new plan is proposed to divert the canal from the right side of the national highway and airport to the complete left side from Jakkulanekkalam village to Athkuru village passing through Purushothapatnam, Kesarapalli, Gannavaram, Marlapalem and Avutapalli villages.

The acquisition included agriculture lands and habitations including SC, ST colonies in Marlapalem and Avutapalli villages. In the diversion, officials have proposed 360-ft wide road for about 12 kilometres. This is planned to facilitate the new waterways proposed from Kakinada to Pondicherry which is being planned by the Central government.

This had now become the bone of contention between the villagers and farmers who want the government to stop the diversion of the canal as it would displace the villages too. “The officials could have diverted a small portion of the canal at the edge of the proposed expanded runway.

Instead, the officials want to bring the canal from the present right side location to the left side of the airport taking it away even beyond the existing national highway,” said Y Narasimha Rao, who leads the farmers against the canal proposal in the area. When the farmers prevented the irrigation officials from taking up a survey for the canal's diversion on Wednesday, Krishna district Collector had invited them for a meeting where they opposed the move.

Gannavaram legislator Vallabhaneni Vamsimohan, who accompanied the farmers, also opposed the move and the farmers said that they would not allow the officials to displace their villages. CPI-M Krishna district secretary, R Raghu, said that the diversion of the canal was not required even if the airport requires further expansion.

“The government is planning a fresh airport in Amaravati on over 5,000 acres and I don’t see the need for further expansion of this airport,” he asserted. However, after listening to the farmers, District Collector told that he would make the irrigation officials study the issue technically and submit a report in next 10 days.