Even as the State government is preparing ground to begin the process of ‘land pooling,’ to acquire 30,000 acres in 17 villages in Thullur, Mandhadam and Mangalagiri mandals identified for proposed capital region, farmers have demanded 60 per cent of developed land.
Minister for Agriculture P. Pulla Rao said at the end of a Cabinet meeting in Hyderabad that farmers would be given 1,000 square yards of developed land, Rs. 25,000 per year as compensatory package and setting up of capital construction committee in place of existing VGTM. The proposed capital region would be divided into six sectors, he added.
Revenue and Survey Department personnel who had conducted ‘gram sabha’, (public meetings) in eight of 14 villages in Thullur mandals have sent a report listing out the demands from farmers.
“Farmers are demanding 60 per cent of developed land, allotment of 200 square yards in commercial zone, doubling of compensation per acre from the proposed Rs. 25,000 and issuing transferable fiscal bonds,’’ said Revenue Divisional Officer of Gurazala J. Murali, who along with RDO, Guntur Bhaskar Naidu conducted meetings in eight villages over the last two days. The farmers’ demands include a government job for every family and involvement of farm labourers in construction of capital.
The public meetings have turned volatile at Rayapudi, Mandadam and Nelaprolu villages where farmers have vociferously stated that they would not part with their lands unless the government comes up with a better package. Farmers at Thullur laid siege to village revenue office and at Modugulalanka palem, farmers staged a rasta roko.
“We are surprised at the veil of secrecy over the meetings by revenue and survey teams. Why is the district administration keeping the meetings under the wraps? We will continue to fight for farmers till they get the best deal,’’ said Rythu Sangham president J. Siva Sankar.
The Rythu Sangham is conducting meetings at Mangalagiri on Thursday and Friday.
