Srikakulam district administration is worried with the spreading of agitation to new places, opposing the proposed atomic power plant in Kovvada village of Ranasthalam mandal. Many villagers of surrounding areas such as Kosta, Chillapeta Rajam, Nelivada, Patarlapalli and others feared that the land acquisition would not confine to Kovvada, Kotapalem and Tekkali as government needed huge land in future for the construction of the country’s biggest atomic power plant. Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited indicated that it would generate 10,000 mw of power in a phased manner.
Officials said that they needed only 2,200 acres of land, and 1,500 acres of it originally belonged to the government, but was under the occupation of farmers of the area. However, villagers are strongly opposing land acquisition saying that the land had been under their possession for the last five decades and the officials had no right to touch it now.
The villagers did not allow revenue officials for the survey in places like Kovvada and Tekkali after conducting Grama Sabha on May 17 at Kovvada.
Kotapalem villagers organised dharna on Saturday with the support of CITU leaders, including D. Govinda Rao, Ch. Ammannaidu, P. Tejeswara Rao and others. CPI(M) leaders and CITU representatives say their arrests cannot stop villagers from agitating for their rights and protection of their lands.
Residents of other villages are also joining the agitations although land acquisition is not proposed in their areas. They fear that revenue officials would acquire their land in future for the expansion of the project.
‘Vested interests’
Officials say leaders with vested interests were campaigning against the atomic plant. “Many people are eagerly waiting for the package as they can lead a decent life with the compensation which would be paid under the New Land Acquisition Act-2013. They may get around Rs.13 lakh per acre although the land value has never crossed even Rs.5 lakh in those places,” said a senior revenue official.
The Left parties alleged that the State government was trying to adopt ‘Divide and Rule’ policy to weaken the agitation. “The government may claim that it would pay the highest amount per acre. But the fact is that the rates are more than the government’s offer if real market values are considered,” said Mr.Govinda Rao.
