More than 5,000 small and marginal farmers from 17 panchayats in Bhogapuram mandal staged a dharna at the tahsildar office, from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., against the proposed international greenfield airport.
They also blocked vehicular traffic on the NH-5. Later, they submitted a copy of the resolution adopted in an all-party meeting held on Thursday, opposing the proposed airport at Bhogapuram to tahsildar Lakshma Reddy.
The farmers have decided to form village and mandal-level committees, which would block the entry of officials into their villages for land acquisition.
Further, they planned a ‘Chalo Collectorate’ on Monday and stage protest near the house of Union Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju here on the same day.
The Left party leaders said that the airport would only benefit the rich at the cost of poor farmers.
Following a directive from the government, Collector M.M. Naik had appointed DRDA Project Officer Delli Rao, four Deputy Collectors and 12 tahsildars to acquire 15,000 acres for the airport, aviation city, and other infrastructure proposed in Bhogapuram mandal.
Farmers plan ‘Chalo Collectorate’ programme and stage protest at Union Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju’s house
15,000 acres need to be acquired for aviation city and other infrastructure proposed in Bhogapuram mandal
