Members of the CPI (M)-affiliated Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham (APRS) on Wednesday staged a demonstration against the Centre’s ordinance amending the Land Acquisition Act, at the Collectorate here. The protesters burnt copies of the ordinance during the demonstration.
“The ordinance is pending approval by the President, and we want him to direct the Centre to drop it in the interest of the farming community,” demanded CPI (M) district secretary B. Balaram, who led the protest.
Large number of farmers from Tullur, where the new capital has been proposed, will now feel the pinch, he said, adding: “Multi-crop fields, which were spared by the Land Acquisition (Rehabilitation and Resettlement) Act, 2013, will now be eclipsed by rapid urbanisation, as the process has become hassle-free, thanks to the ordinance.” As the social assessment impact clause in the Act is sought to be diluted by the ordinance, the living conditions of farmers in the capital region will come under question, he said.
“Since another crucial clause, which insists on securing consent from 80 per cent of farmers before acquisition of lands, has been given a go-by, corporate firms are now all set to take over prime agricultural lands from farmers through coercion citing the ordinance,” the CPI (M) leader alleged. The APRS accused the NDA-TDP combine of pleasing corporates by taking possession of agricultural lands at throwaway prices by diluting the Act.
‘Corporate firms are all set to take over prime agricultural lands from farmers through coercion, citing the ordinance’
