AP farmers against land acquisition
A controversy is brewing in Andhra Pradesh over ‘forced’ land acquisition for a 726-acre SEZ in Medak district near Hyderabad.
By TNN |
HYDERABAD: A controversy is brewing in Andhra Pradesh over ‘forced’ land acquisition for a 726-acre SEZ in Medak district near Hyderabad. A group of farmers who own land in this district — which is also the assembly constituency of J Geeta Reddy, minister for major industries — have registered a complaint with the Human Rights Commission alleging that the state is forcibly acquiring their land.
Opposition parties are backing the agitating farmers and warned that the government’s move could create a Nandigram like situation in Andhra Pradesh.
The West Bengal government had to drop plans to build a chemical hub in Nandigram, following protests by farmers against forced land acquisition.
The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday went on the defensive and dubbed concerns raised by Opposition parties as baseless. “We are ready to give all the reports that the HRC needs. Over 60% of the land acquired for the SEZ is dry and unused land. The government has also offered rehabilitation and resettlement packages to the displaced persons with housing, cattle, feed compensation of 730 days of wage and training to one member from each family. There are absolutely no signs of a Nandigram like situation in the state,” said Reddy.
She alleged that the Opposition parties were merely attempting to make political mileage out of the issue. “We have acquired the land with proper consent through gram sabhas and also paid the farmers,” she said.
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The government claims that only farmers, who have about 41 acres of land in the area — Mutraspalli village in Medak district — have registered a compliant with the HRC.Download
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