After Polavaram, Farmers fume at AP govt over Pattiseema project

It is alleged that the Andhra Pradesh government is planning to address its water woes by circumventing Godavari waters to Krishna belt through Pulichintala Pattiseema projects. But it has been facing hurdles from the farmers of the coastal Andhra who do not want to let their fertile lands be submerged for the canal works.

The AP state government's hurry to complete Rs.1,300 crore Pattiseema Lift Irrigation project divert 4-TMC of Godavari water into Prakasam barrage has drawn flak from farmers organisations.

Several farmers’ organisations from Krishna and Godavari districts are staging protests to stop Pattiseema project and they are asking government to complete Polavaram rather than concentrating on Pattiseema Lift Irrigation project.The project envisages lifting of Godavari waters at Pattiseema in West Godavari district and diverting it to Krishna reservoir at Prakasam barrage through the canal network that has more or less been completed for Polavaram project.

But Krishna and Godavari districts' farmers who have already given their lands to government for Polavaram project are again not willing to give more lands for this project. Though the state government has expedited the Pattiseema project, it is facing challenges from court cases in land acquisition. According to officials, 19 villages in Krishna district and two in West Godavari district approached courts against the project works and got stay orders.

The government had completed most of the Polavaram right canal digging works in the limits of Krishna and West Godavari districts. But the works were stopped in the limits of 19 villages in Bapulapadu, Gannavaram, Agiripalli and Nuzvid mandals in Krishna district.

The government had proposed land acquisition of 3,545 acres in Krishna district, but landowners of 1,222 acres approached the courts. Similarly, the farmers of Kavvagunta and Pedavegi villages of West Godavari district have also challenged the land acquisition process in courts.

Special deputy collector G.V.S.S. Naga Lakshmi said, officials are making arrangements to offer higher compensation to farmers under the new Land Acquisition Act to withdrawing the cases. She said that as per the new plans, the government would pay compensation to farmers of up to Rs 25 lakh per acre in Nuzvid.