As part of ongoing agitation against the proposed Greenfield International Airport at Bhogapuram, over 200 small and marginal farmers from eight villages in Bhogapuram revenue panchayat on Saturday staged a sit-in at the tehsildar’s office. They raised slogans demanding the government to stop survey of their lands and warned officials of severe consequences.
While the sloganeering by the farmers was on, Vanumu Ramu, a small farmer from Appannapeta village, attempted to immolate himself by dousing with kerosene. Police present in good number at the place foiled his attempt and taken him to Bhogapuram police station. YSRCP leader K. Srinivasa Raju, Bhogapuram sarpanch Kommuri Satya Priya and vice-MPP V. Sarala Kumari participated in the dharna.
They submitted a memorandum to Tehsildar D. Lakshma Reddy.
Meanwhile, a survey team comprising two surveyors and three VROs were caught unawares when an irate mob at Galipeta in Dallipeta panchayat where they had gone to survey lands this morning. Women and men chased them away from their lands.
On Friday, three youths of Koyyapeta threatened self- immolation by dousing with kerosene , while a group of women carried pesticide tins and threatened to commit suicide if survey of their lands were not stopped. An irate group of women and men carried sticks and brooms chased the survey team to a distance of about one kilometre.
