Fresh trouble is brewing for the prestigious R&D project of Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER) with farmers of Gambheeram preventing it from taking possession of 13 acres allotted to it, seeking compensation.
The protest came like a bolt from the blue for the officials of SAMEER, who wanted to hand over the site to Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for launching civil work a few days after APIIC lowered the lease rentals after the intervention of Vizag MP K. Haribabu.
The land was allotted to SAMEER, an autonomous body under Department of Electronics & IT (DeitY) in the Ministry of Communications and IT, vide a letter written to the Secretary, Ministry of Communications and IT by the Vice-Chairman-cum-Managing Director of APIIC dated 10/09/2014 on payment of Rs.3.82 crore towards developmental charges.
The compensation package finalised for those who claimed D-patta lands along with those occupying land illegally for cultivation and quarry workers who lost their livelihood due to allotment of 388 acres for IIM-V was first of its kind. “Encouraged by the package offered for land allotted to IIM-V, some farmers are insisting on payment of similar compensation to them. The revenue officials are looking into it and we are hopeful of a re-survey to sort out the issue,” a senior official of APIIC told The Hindu . The fresh controversy figured at a meeting held by District Collector N. Yuvaraj in the presence of Dr. Haribabu and APIIC officials. “We are hopeful of an early solution,” the MP said.
Government of India announced its decision to invest Rs.80 crore on India’s first Centre for Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (E3) in Vizag under aegis of SAMEER. This will be the fourth SAMEER lab after it set up microwave, electromagnetic and millimetre wave research facilities respectively in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
Farmers of Gambheeram seek compensation for allowing possession of 13 acres allotted to it