Clueless over the fate of their lands, which have been proposed to be acquired for setting up a full-fledged Air Force Station (AFS) here, not many farmers in Kachkanti, Anukunta and Tantoli villages of Adilabad mandal have had good sleep since April this year. They are particularly tensed over the huge disparity in compensation proposed for their productive agricultural lands, and for the unproductive areas that fall under the Khanapur village limits.
The land in question – all 1,592 acres of it – are located in these four villages and is contiguous with the existing aerodrome on the outskirts of Adilabad town. This makes it quite suitable for the Indian Air Force, which is going ahead with the proposal to develop the place as an AFS in the coming years.
As per the compensation estimate proposed by the revenue authorities, the land under Khanapur limits is categorised as urban, and is valued at Rs.12 lakh per acre. However, the ‘rural’ land under Kachkanti and Tantoli is valued at just Rs.70,000 per acre and that under Anukunta limits at Rs.1 lakh per acre.
“In fact, our lands are more productive,” claims Kokkula Surender of Kachkanti village as he makes an effort to expose the irrationality in the proposal. “We depend solely on agriculture for survival, unlike the realtors of Khanapur,” he points out to drive home the point that farmers from the three disadvantaged villages stand to lose much more when compared to owners of land in Khanapur.
Anxious farmers had flocked to the aerodrome to seek clarity on the issue on September 27 when the Chief Administrative Officer, AFS, Begumpet, Wing Commander S. Sriram had come to inspect the area proposed to be acquired. They however, could not do so as their effort was not properly organised.
“We have made representations the matter to revenue authorities in the district. The matter needs to be sorted out before the government moves to acquire our lands,” warns K. Pochanna, also of Kachkanti.
SHAKY TAKE-OFF
*The IAF plans to establish a full-fledged Air Force Station (AFS) at the existing aerodrome
*1,592 acres of land contiguous with the aerodrome is what revenue authorities have proposed to the IAF
*This includes:
-430 acres in Khanapur urban village
-501 acres in Anukunta
-313 acres in Kachkanti
-256 acres in Tantoli
*Market value of land per acre
Khanapur Rs.12 lakh
Anukunta Rs.1 lakh
Kachkanti, Tantoli Rs.70,000
*Compensation value per acre#
Khanapur Rs.25.44 lakh
Anukunta Rs.4.24 lakh
Kachkanti, Tantoli Rs.2.96 lakh
“Our lands are more productive and merit compensation on a par with that of lands in Khanapur” Kokkula Surender, a farmer
“The issue better be settled before the government makes any move towards land acquisition” K. Pochanna, farmer
#including solatium at 100 per cent and additional market value at 12 per cent as per the old land acquisition rules
