Land acquisition, a major headache for officials

Rajamahendravaram: Land acquisition for the multi-purpose Polavaram project has reached merged mandals now. About 35000 acres is yet to be acquired in the merged mandals and the officials have a difficult task in acquiring land in merged mandals. The authorities have washed off their hands by acquiring land when there was no awareness among the evacuees before the emergence of new land acquisition act.

It is getting difficult for the officials who are trying to acquire land through grama sabhas as the evacuees are making it clear that they will give their lands only after payment of compensation and implementing rehabilitation package as per the new land acquisition act.

It may be recalled that the officials have paid compensation from Rs 2-3 lakh before the emergence of new land acquisition act. About 70 thousand acres had to be acquired in seven mandals which are merged into Andhra Pradesh. However, only 35000 acres have been acquired in these merged mandals when they existed in undivided Andhra Pradesh and another 35000 acres is yet to be acquired.

Land acquisition from five mandals merged with East Godavari has been taken up by the land acquisition special deputy collector where as the land acquisition in two mandals merged into the West Godavari district has been taken up by the West Godavari collector.

Another 92 villages have been included in the likely to be submerged villages list and the number of villages to be inundated has now increased to 462. As far as the land acquisition taken place until March 24, Rs 2,104 crore has been spent on land acquisition and there is requirement of another Rs 7946 crore. In the East Godavari district limits, land acquisition of 256 acres has been completed for the head works with Rs 3.32 crore, Rs 150 crore has been paid to acquire 6238 acres for the left main canal and 7385 acres have been acquired with Rs 162 crore in Devipatnam mandal which is going to be inundated.

About 18,402 acres have to be given for the evacuees under land to land distribution and only 597 acres have been acquired and Rs 1780 crore yet to be spent on it. Apart from it, another 4250 acres have to be acquired for the rehabilitation colonies. In total, 34492 acres have been acquired in seven mandals merged from Khammam district against the requirement of 67,002 acres.