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Collectors conference begins today
Two-day Collectors’ conference begins in Vijayawada on Wednesday. The conference is expected to deliberate on various government programmes launched during the last 3 years.
Amaravati: Two-day Collectors’ conference begins in Vijayawada on Wednesday. The conference is expected to deliberate on various government programmes launched during the last 3 years.
The issue of PoT lands in CM’s native Chittoor district is also likely to come up for discussion. Investors are facing tough time in Chief Minister’s native district Chittoor to start activities in the lands allotted to them with the stiff opposition from farmers.
As the State government denied compensation to farmers who are cultivating PoT lands (prohibition of transfer), they are not allowing investors in the lands.
As the problem became a major issue and spread to other districts, the issue was reportedly listed in the agenda for two-day Collectors’ conference which will begin in Vijayawada on Wednesday.
According to sources, AP Industrial and Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) allotted hundreds of acres to various industries in Chittoor district. Revenue Department entrusted the lands to the APIIC for industrial investment.
As the lands in Chittoor district, where Sri City is located, is in high demand, the State government has created a land bank of around 1.7 lakh acres, biggest in the State.
Some of the lands among them were classified as PoT lands. Though, the government paid compensation to private lands, it had denied payment of compensation for PoT lands.
Farmers were denied compensation for 65 acres in Gandrajupalle village of Chittoor district. Besides, farmers who have lands near airport, were also denied compensation. Those were just two examples and the same situation prevailed across the district, said a senior official of APIIC, Tirupati.
As per rules, the PoT lands are prohibited from sale and transfers. However, farmers raised objections that they had been cultivating the lands right from the generation of their forefathers and the revenue department recorded wrongly the lands under PoT category and entrusted them to APIIC without having their consent.
The APIIC official said the issue became a major problem in the district as there are hundreds of acres of PoT lands. “Farmers are obstructing investors when they start development works in the lands. The lands remained vacant even though investors are ready to start activity in the lands. We and the district administration is also helpless in resolving the issue. As the same issue prevailed in some other districts also, State government should find out a conclusion to the problem,” he said.
“We are advised to use police force to remove farmers from the PoT lands and book cases. But it is not a solution for the problem as it will adversely affect the government and investor too,” said the official.
The APIIC officials also said some farmers, who parted with their patta lands in land acquisition were also demanding additional compensation and approaching courts. “This is a special situation in the district. This is also another headache to APIIC,” said the official.
