Former general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Prakash Karat on Thursday demanded that the State government implement the Land Acquisition Act-2013, in letter and spirit while implementing relief and rehabilitation package for those who lost their lands to the upcoming solar power plant in Nambula Pula Kunta mandal of Anantapur district.
Mr. Karat, who was in the district on a day’s visit, went to NP Kunta mandal and interacted with farmers who had lost their lands. He promised them that the CPI(M) would fight on their behalf till their concerns were addressed.
“The State government should give at least Rs. 10 lakh as compensation for each acre and implement the Land Acquisition Act-2013. How can the government go ahead with the project without fully implementing the R&R package? This is against the very spirit of democracy and the laws enacted by Parliament,” Mr. Karat said, adding that the State government was alienating huge parcels of land for corporates, while the poor were not being adequately compensated.
ADVERTISEMENT
He said there was a scam at the NP Kunta solar park where thousands of farmers were being denied compensation, while several were being compensated on the basis of fake documents.
Earlier, the CPM leaders had found it difficult to reach the project site as police had imposed Section 144 within 500-metre radius of the project site.
While police had issued bind over summons to 22 district leaders of the CPM, who had taken part in a protest at NP Kunta mandal in the past, which had led to pitched battles between CPM activists and police.
ADVERTISEMENT
As the vehicles carrying party leaders, including Mr. Prakash Karat, moved towards the NP Kunta mandal headquarters, police tried to stop them by placing barricades. Later, they were allowed to proceed.
At the NP Kunta mandal headquarters, a public meeting was held where Mr. Karat spoke, although police had denied permission for such a gathering.
Visit to Kurnool
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau Member will visit Kurnool district on Friday.
Mr. Karat will tour Sakunala village in Orvakal mandal and interact with the farmers to be displaced by land acquisition for a solar power project, CPI(M) district secretary K. Prabhakara Reddy said here on Thursday.
The senior CPI(M) leader would later address the media on the suicides by farmers in the district during the last one year and interact with the bereaved families in the party office at Kurnool in the afternoon, he said.
Party’s State leaders Vangala Subba Rao and V. Venkateswarlu would accompany Mr. Karat. The party’s district general body meeting would be held in the evening, Mr. Reddy said.
CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat alleges scam at NP Kunta solar