Land survey is going to be a major challenge in Kovvada and surrounding villages of Ranasthalam where the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) proposes construction of India’s biggest atomic power plant with an estimated capacity of 9,564 MW. As many as five survey teams have been visiting the villages such as Kovvada, Kotapalem, Tekkali and others for the last three days to gather details of lands, houses and other properties.
The State government asked survey teams to be cautious while collecting data from the locals who were worried about their future.
The people who strongly opposed land survey for the last five years have reportedly softened their stand after revenue officials indicated that the compensation would be paid to the locals who occupied government lands for the purpose of agriculture activity. The officials, who needed 2,266 acres of land, had claimed that 1,500 acres belonged to the government, leading to an uproar among the locals.
The senior officials are hopeful that the survey will be completed in two weeks. They assured the villagers that the compensation would be paid quickly in line with the new Land Acquisition Act-2013 since NPCIL had already deposited Rs.389 crore with the State government.
‘Package the best
in the country’
Speaking to The Hindu , Srikakulam Collector P. Lakshmi Narasimham hoped that the people would accept the package since it would be the best one in the country.
“The new Land Acquisition Act protects the interests of every displaced person. Resistance to the land survey was confined to a few people who had been misled all these years. Now they have realised the importance of the project and the package,” he added.
Meanwhile, Left parties alleged that the State government was trying to win the hearts of locals with false promises such as updating of records and change of names in land records. “First of all, the government should allow registrations as usual as many people could not sell their lands even for emergency needs such as marriage and medical treatment,” said Mr. Narasinga Rao, CPI(M) Secretariat member of Andhra Pradesh.
