Seaport Construction: Provide proper compensation to farmers: Left parties

Srikakulam: The leaders of Left parties demanded that adequate compensation should be provided to farmers belonging to Mulapeta and Vishnu Chakram villages in Santhabommali mandal who have donated their lands for the construction of a seaport.

They have inspected lands at Mulapeta and Vishnu Chakram villages in Santhabommali mandal on Tuesday along with farmers. The government has decided to acquire lands in these two villages for the proposed seaport. But the State government is yet to pay compensation to those who provided their lands for the project.

As a result, farmers cultivated paddy crop on their lands during the current kharif season. Meanwhile without payment of compensation the contracting company launched the port works two days ago and paddy crops were damaged in these two villages.

On learning about it, farmers registered complaints with the officials. On receiving information, leaders of Left parties Ch Venkata Ramana, M Yugandhar, K Srinivasa Rao and farmers of the two villages J Sundara Rao, K Naram Naidu, M Kesava Rao and others inspected the damaged paddy crops.

Speaking on the occasion, they demanded that the government immediately pay compensation to farmers and concede the justified demands. A sum of Rs 50 lakh should be provided to each family for the construction of a house, they said.