Several shepherds, toddy-tappers, rajakas and others on Monday stormed the tahsildar's office here in protest against denial of pattas to them to pursue their traditional occupation.
After bringing to his notice the problems faced by their respective communities, Tahsildar J. Durga Ravindranath promised them that the lands under their occupation, subject to a survey, would not be included in the proposed land acquisition of land for APIIC's industrial park.
He said he would depute village revenue officers and revenue inspectors for a detailed survey. On being informed on the plans to evict farmers who were cultivating in government land without pattas for several years, he said that also he would get it verified and wherever there were genuine cases, title deeds would be given in their favour.
Earlier, large number of villagers from D.L. Puram, Amalapuram, Chandanada, Rajaiahpeta and neighbouring villages staged a dharna at the offices of Tahsildar and Mandal Development Officer.
Leading the protest, CPI (M) district secretary Ch. Narsinga Rao said of 6,107 acres being acquired for the industrial park as part of PCPIR project, 2,351 acre was shown as government land. He said for record purpose it was government land but the farmers were in possession of the land in question for 10 to 20 years. As per government's policy, such land should be regularised by issuing patta in favour of the occupants.
Mr. Rao said the revenue officials deliberately did not issue pattas on hearing that the land acquisition process had been initiated by the district administration. He said apart from farmers, traditional artisans would be worst-hit if the projects proposed under PCPIR came up in Nakkapalli and Payakaraopeta area.
The CPI (M) leader said they had already submitted representation to the district Collector to put a halt to the land acquisition process till the new Act came into force. He said as per Land Acquisition Bill, government agencies would not act as mediator for land acquisition for the industrialists. The land would be acquired only with the consent of the owners by the industrialist concerned.
Public hearing put off
The public hearing on the proposal to set up Lohita Life Sciences Drug Company at Kumarapuram in Nakkapalli mandal scheduled for Tuesday has been put off following appeals from people's organisations, according to Joint Collector M. Girija Sankar.
