For the farmers in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh, from whom over 22,000 acres were acquired for the Vadarevu and Nizampatnam Industrial Corridor (VANPIC) project in 2008, the long wait for the return of their land may soon come to an end.
The farmers see a ray of hope with the Supreme Court taking up the hearing of a petition for the return of lands acquired for the Special Economic Zones in Andhra Pradesh and other States but are unused.
With the mega infrastructure project comprising development of two sea ports and an industrial corridor remaining a non-starter, the farmers had in 2012 removed the fence put by VANPIC during their agitation. They started raising crops in Peddaganjam, Gundayapalem, Pathapadu, Chintagaripalem and Devarampadu, among other villages. Ahead of the 2014 general election, the then Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu, who symbolically tilled a piece of land at Pathapadu, had promised to return their land after coming to power.
Unfulfilled promises
Now, the farmers want Mr. Naidu to redeem his poll promise as the jobs, house sites and other benefits promised in the wake of their protests against takeover the land acquisition, remained only on paper.
“'We will not part with our land come what may,” they asserted. It is unfortunate that the Chief Minister remains silent on returning the lands, said Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangam district secretary V. Hanuma Reddy. “We will organise protests if the government retains the lands on the pretext of industrial development,” warned CPI(M) functionary M.Vasantha Rao.
