VIZIANAGARAM: Lashing out at the ruling Telugu Desam Party over land acquisition for the international airport at Bhogapuram, YSR Congress president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that the TDP government was looting people of their properties and livelihood in the name of projects and development schemes. He vowed to fight for the rights of people and ensure that the government was punished for its crimes. The party is even planning to approach the court, if the government did not heed the requests of farmers.
The Opposition leader Monday toured the villages in Bhogapuram area where the government proposes to construct the international airport and addressed a dharna at Gudepuvalasa in the district. He said the dharna was organised to attract the nation’s attention to the plight of farmers who are losing their precious land to quench the state government’s thirst for land. He alleged that the state government was playing with the lives and emotions of people.
Jagan wanted to know as to why the lands belonging to minister Ch Ayyanna Patrudu and Anakapalle MP M Srinivas were exempted from land acquisition for the international airport, while that of farmers were being acquired forcibly. “The government is using its power against the innocent small and medium farmers who eke out their livelihood from agriculture. The Telugu Desam party will not be spared for these crimes and would be taught a befitting lesson by people shortly,” he claimed.
The YSRC president wanted the state government to clarify as to why the international airport at Bhogapuram requires 5,000 acre when the existing international airports at Chennai and Mumbai are being operated in 1,200 acre and 2,000 acre respectively. He doubted that the lands acquired from the farmers would be handed over to the corporate companies and the locals would be made to serve in these companies in the name of employment. He accused the state government of acting like a real estate company. “There is every possibility to develop the existing international airport at Visakhapatnam to meet the future demands. But the government is hell bent on constructing the new airport only to benefit the corporates,” he stated.
Ganta Rubbishes Charges
Visakhapatnam: HRD minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao rubbished the allegations levelled by the Opposition parties over the land acquisition for the international airport at Bhogapuram. He said the government was not acquiring lands forcibly and the process was being carried out only after resolving the demands of the farmers who would cede their lands. The minister reiterated that the government would complete the international airport which would develop the north Coastal Andhra region and urged the Opposition parties not to obstruct development.