It has been a double whammy for farmers of Bethapudi village, who have been growing flowers, viz, jasmine and marigold in the region, and exporting them throughout India.
First, their land was acquired by the then TDP-led State government in 1986 to build a township, and yet again in 2015 they are staring at the prospect of land acquisition after refusing to part with lands under the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) for the new capital.
The village spread over 814 acres is right next to the old Grand Trunk Road leading to Chennai and has always been eyed by successive governments.
It was in 1986 that the then Chief Minister N.T Rama Rao persuaded farmers of this village to part with their lands in return for a developed plot. Mr. Rama Rao had then told the farmers that he was planning to build a township to serve the future needs. The two towns of Guntur and Vijayawada would soon merge and become a big city, he had told them then.
The TDP government then had entered into an oral agreement with the farmers stating that for each acre, they would be given a developed plot measuring five cents.
Farmers had also received Rs. 40,000 as compensation for each acre. Most of them had accepted the proposal. However, nothing had progressed since then.
Late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had laid the foundation for a Singapore Township and entered into a MoU with Indo-African Builders to build apartments. The then Vijayawada Urban Development Authority (VUDA) too had entered into an agreement to build apartments on 50 acres, but the project never took off.
“We had handed over 256 acres to the then State government on the basis of an oral assurance that each farmer would be given five cents of developed plot for each acre, but so far none of us have received any plots. Further, the then VUDA had auctioned off the land after converting them into plots. In the end, there is nothing left for us,” pointed out Kokkilla Srinivasa Rao, a farmer.
The village once spread over 814 acres, is now a pale shadow of itself.
A narrow cement road runs along the farm lands with flower plantations leading to the village, inhabited by small and marginal farmers.
Real estate firms too had eyed the village and plotting had been done in 250 acres, out of which 150 acres is within approved layouts.
In 2008, the State government had allotted 24 acres to the Andhra Cricket Association to build a cricket stadium. Work on the stadium was in progress.
No documents
“We do not have documents. Our parents were illiterate when they accepted the proposal of the government. Most of us have less than one acre and if we give it away, where will we go?” questioned V. Mallikarjuna Rao, another farmer.
In 1986, then Chief Minister NTR persuaded them to part with 256 acres for a township, which never came up. Now yet again they are staring at the prospect of land acquisition
