Vijayawada: Capital region simmers over R-5 Zone

Vijayawada : Tense situation prevailed in Amaravati capital region villages as the government started levelling up R-5 zone land for distribution of house sites to the poor. When the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) officials started clearing bushes with proclainers, a large number of villagers staged protest and thwarted their attempts.

When the farmers of Kuragallu tried to prevent the officials from levelling the land on Saturday, police arrested and shifted them to Mangalagiri police station. A large number of villagers staged protest at Mangalagiri police station against the arrest of farmers. Later, the police released the farmers.

The agitating farmers said that the government had failed to develop the plots allotted to farmers so far and has not paid the lease amount to farmers who surrendered their lands to government under land pooling. They expressed objection over levelling of land when the R-5 zone issue was pending in court. While tension was brewing in Amaravati region villages over the action of government, Amaravati JAC leaders are getting ready for an action plan to prevent the officials from levelling the land of capital region villages.

It may be noted that the state government issued a GO to distribute house sites for poor by allotting land in Amaravati capital region villages, which the farmers are opposing from the beginning. The government decided to allot 1,134.58 acres of land in Krishnayapalem, Nidamarru, Inavolu and Mandadam villages to the poor as house sites. The government is said to be trying to distribute some more land in Navuluru, Yerrubalem and Kuragallu to the poor as house sites under Navaratnalu programme. The farmers are expressing objections over allotment of house sites to non-locals.

The agitating farmers alleged that the state government failed to allot 5,034 TIDCO houses which were completed during TDP government so far even after four years. They allege harassment from officials as well as police when they are protesting to protect the lands in capital region.

Meanwhile, the Amaravati JAC leaders decided to organise Praja Chaitanya Yatra in R-5 zone villages of capital region. As part of the yatra, farmers will take out a padayatra from Krishnayapalem to Nidamarru. They said that the government is acting unilaterally without taking into consideration the views of farmers.