Etcherla IIIT lands in a row

Srikakulam: A fresh controversy has erupted over IIIT lands in Etcherla mandal in Srikakulam district. The government has allotted 200 acres of land for IIIT in SMPuram village limits in Etcherla mandal for its buildings and accommodation and works have already begun.

Meanwhile, 91 residents belonging to SC community of SMPuram village claimed that they were the rightful owners of the land. They said that in 1987, the then government had allotted 72 acres of land to them for cultivation as assigned land.

But officials said extent of assigned land was only 38 acres which was included in the allotted 200 acres of land. The government allotted Rs 80 crore for construction of the academic block. At present IIIT Srikakulam classes are going on for students at Nuzvid campus and only administrative is done from here due to lack of accommodation.

“We are demanding reasonable compensation for our land as we developed the lands under various government schemes,” said D Adinarayana, D Appayya, G Krishna Rao, B Ramayya, D Suryanarayana dalits of SMPuram village said.

“Of the 200 acres of total allotted lands only 38 acres belongs to 91 SC families of SMPuram village and we reported the issue to Etcherla MLA and minister for energy, Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao and district collector, K.Dhanunjaya Reddy.

They had consented to making payment to through negotiation,” Srikakulam RDO, Balivada Dayanidhi told The Hans India. SC families are often preventing works at IIIT lands which are going in rest of the land out of their 38 acres which is not proper, the RDO said.

By Chowdary Lakshman Rao