Even as farmers from Anukunta, Kachkanti and Tantoli villages of Adilabad mandal anxiously wait for the government to announce the rate of compensation for their lands to be acquired for establishment of a full-fledged Air Force Station (AFS) here, some unscrupulous elements have entered the scenario with the intention of fleecing them. The ‘brokers’ are promising the moon to the villagers based on their ‘connections’ with top revenue officials.
The value of lands in these villages is Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 70,000 per acre. The value of land in adjacent Khanapur village limits, which is also proposed for acquisition for the AFS is Rs. 12 lakh per acre.
The brokers have evidently hatched a plan to take advantage of the huge difference in land value and the ignorance of farmers about the Right to Fight Compensation and R&R Act 30 of 2014. They are promising to influence the administration for lifting the rate of compensation for lands in the three villages to that of lands in Khanapur.
“I was told that the rate of compensation for my land would be enhanced to Rs. 48 lakh per acre if I shell out Rs. 5 lakh which will be shared with revenue officials,” revealed a villager from Kachkanti of the offer made by a broker who is better known as a cotton commission agent. “I was asked to give a similar amount of money for getting compensation enhanced for my land increased,” added a kirana merchant from Adilabad, who has some land holding in Anukunta village.
Another popular ‘businessman’ from town is known to have spread a word in these villages and among those from the town who have land holdings in the area that revenue officials are demanding a sum of Rs. 3 crore for proposing increased rate of compensation. “He claims to have been deputed to ‘collect’ the money on their behalf,” pointed out another businessman who owns some commercial plots in the area.
Meanwhile, the consultant appointed by the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC), which is looking into the issue of land acquisition for the AFS has prepared a detailed project report.
