Vemulaghat, a lonely village in Toguta mandal fighting against the proposed Mallannasagar reservoir, would celebrate 100 days of protest against land acquisition for the reservoir under GO 123 on Monday. On the same day, the villagers would submit a memorandum to Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan against police oppression while urging him to implement the Land Acquisition Act-2013. About 100 persons would participate in a protest wearing black T-shirts. Later they would proceed to Gajwel mandal headquarters where Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) has scheduled a programme to express solidarity with the agitators against GO 123.
During the 100 days of protest, Erravalli and Vemualghat villages witnessed a violent agitation that led to the imposition of Section 144 at Erravalli, Singaram in Kondapaka mandal and Vemulaghat and Pallepahad in Toguta mandal. Over 20 members of the village are still facing police cases and have gotten bail from the court. Even today, outsiders cannot enter Vemulaghat without police permission and villagers too are not allowed to move in large groups or leave the village without permission.
More than 470 farmers from the village had approached the High Court seeking implementation of the LA Act to acquire their land and the court directed the government to do so. As Section 144 is still in force, the villagers have planned to attend a meeting at Gajwel instead of holding it at the village. “We are hopeful that we can get justice after meeting the Governor. We are demanding to lift Section 144 immediately and implement the LA Act-2013,” said Hayat Uddin, one of the agitators.
