Farmers oppose forced land acquisition

Guntur: Representatives of farmers’ associations warned that they will launch protests if the government attempts forced land acquisition without addressing farmers’ concerns for the proposed Amaravati Capital Outer Ring Road project. Addressing the media here on Thursday, Rythu Sangham Guntur district secretary Kanchumati Ajay, Agricultural Workers Union district secretary Emani Appa Rao, and Tenant Farmers’ Association district president Botla Ramakrishna said that land acquisition is being prepared across 190 kilometres covering 121 villages in 23 mandals. However, the government has not yet clarified the policies and procedures to the farmers who are set to lose their lands.

In Guntur district alone, land acquisition is being initiated in 40 villages across 11 mandals, covering approximately 6,000 acres. Although a Gazette notification has been issued and survey numbers have been displayed in some gram panchayats, farmers are unable to understand the details clearly. Agricultural labourers and tenant farmers who depend on agriculture for livelihood will suffer heavy losses, they said. Farmers are not ready to part with their valuable lands at throwaway prices. They demanded that Gram Sabhas be conducted in the villages and that the consent of farmers and local residents be obtained. Otherwise, they said, farmers, tenant farmers, agricultural workers and villagers within the ORR limits will intensify their agitation. They appealed to all affected farmers to participate in large numbers in the conference scheduled on February 28 at the CITU office beside Brahmananda Reddy Stadium, Guntur.