VIJAYAWADA: Farmers of Chevitikallu village in Kanchikacherla mandal in the district led by CPM leader Ch Babu Rao and others staged a protest at Chevitikallu village panchayat office on Monday.
The State government had recently announced its intention of acquiring 12,000 acres in Krishna district for development of tourist places along the banks of Krishna. Though no official notification was issued yet, farmers along the north bank of Krishna are a worried lot. The Monday’s agitation by Chevitikallu farmers is an indication of their fears.
They made it clear that they will not surrender their land at any cost and no one can force them to do so. Babu Rao demanded to know why the government wants to take away fertile farm lands in the name of tourism development for the new capital. He accused the state government of snatching away land from the farmers only to give it to corporates in the name of development.
Targeting irrigation minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, who represents the region in the Assembly, the Left leader said the person who protested the proposals for acquiring land for development by the previous government while he was in the opposition is now changing his tune. “We will not keep silent, if the state snatches away these lands,” he said. Some local TDP leaders also took part in the protest.