VIJAYAWADA: CPI (M) State secretary P. Madhu has demanded that the government conduct a fresh survey of the lands being taken over for the Polavaram irrigation project in V.R. Puram mandal on the basis of the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 and compensation paid according to it.
In a letter to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday, Mr. Madhu stated that 36 villages in the mandal would be submerged and 5,250 families faced displacement.
In all, 20,000 acres of agricultural land would go under water, affecting the livelihood of thousands of farmers and farm workers.
The government paid compensation at the rate of Rs.1.15 lakh and Rs.1.35 lakh (both figures per acre) in 2006-07 in blatant violation of the rule that a re-survey should be done if the project was not completed in five years.
The officials are being instructed to pay compensation at the same old rates.
Though some amounts were paid, rehabilitation of the displaced families was completely ignored.
R&R package apart, the government should take other steps, like conducting repairs to drinking water tanks and health centres, launching pending roads works, and sanctioning ration cards and pensions to the needy to ensure that the displaced families were not deprived of the due benefits.
