Chintalapudi land compensation grossly inadequate, deplores AIKS

Kamavarapukota: All-India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) Vice President Ravula Venkaiah alleged that the Government failed to pay adequate compensation to the farmers after acquiring lands from them on account of constructing various projects.

He was the chief guest at a public meeting held at R and B Guest house compound in Kamavarapukota village of West Godavari district organised by Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Scheme (CLIS) Bhu Nirvasitula Samiti and Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham on Friday.

Vaitla Vidyadhara Rao, General Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham, West Godavari Unit presided over the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, Ravula Venkaiah said that the farmers gave away their lands to the proposed irrigation projects in the state for development.

However, the government has divided the farmers region-wise while deciding on compensation for the acquired land.

He deplored that the farmers did not get proper price for their lands under CLIS scheme in West Godavari district. He criticized that there is no transparency in the land acquisition process.

He pointed out that the CLIS would benefit 14 lakh acres of land in 17 upland mandals of West Godavari and Krishna Districts.

“The government has acquired land in a big way under the pretext of building canals. The farmers gave away their fertile lands to the intended scheme as the government trumpeted that it intends to supply irrigation water to 4 lakh acres of land.

The government is acting arbitrarily on declaring the compensation. He pointed out that the farmers under Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (PLIS) have received higher compensation (Rs 30 lakh per acre), whereas the payment ( Rs 12 lakhs) offered to farmers under the CLIS is nowhere near that amount.

He demanded the government to pay compensation to farmers on par with PLIS. He said if the government fails to protect the interests of farmers, the AIKS will take up agitation.

Yerneni Ngendranath, President, Andhra Pradesh Rythanga Samakhya stated that the government has extensively acquired land across 18 mandals falling under the constituencies of Mylavaram, Tiruvuru, Gannaaram, Nuzveedu, Nandigama and 15 mandals in Polavaram Gopalapuram and Chintalapudi constituencies for the Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Scheme (CLIS).

Out of the required 17,000 acres of land, only 6,000 acres of government land is available in these constituencies. So far, the government has acquired 5,827 acres from farmers, with 3,719 acres still to be acquired from farmers.

The government overlooked the new Land Acquisition Act, 2013 while announcing the compensation, he alleged. region to region and project to project.

He accused the government of adopting double standards declaring the compensation region-wise and project-wise rather than giving uniformly package to the displaced farmers.

AP Rythu Sangham State General Secretary KVV Prasad, YSRCP Rythu Sangham leader Tirumala Reddy, Krishna Delta Parirakshana Samiti President Kolanukonda Shivaji, Bharat Kisan Sangh State Secretary Parimi Raghavulu who took part in the meeting demanded the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 and the amended Land Acquisition Acts of 2016 be the basis for declaring compensation to farmers.

CLIS Bhuunirvasitula Committee President Alavala Khadarbabu Reddy, General Secretary Chtluri Anjibabu, M Vasantha Rao, TVS Raju, former MLA Ghanta Murali, and others also addressed the meeting.