HYDERABAD: In the wake of the High Court’s interim order to the state government asking it not to procure land for projects under the provisions of the controversial GO 123, the state government has begun finding ways of dealing with the land already acquired by it under provisions of the same GO for various projects, including Mallanna Sagar, in the state.
While mentioning that as already the new land bill passed by the Assembly was sent for President Pranab Mukherjee’s consent, irrigation minister T Harish Rao is understood to have felt that once the bill gets President’s assent and becomes an Act, the government would not face any “legal” hurdle in its efforts to procure land for various projects as per the provisions of the GO No 123.
The minister held a meeting with officials of his department on Sunday to review the progress.
of procurement of required lands for irrigation and other projects
in the state. The minister was informed by the officials that an extent of 7,500 acres of land had already been procured for the Mallanna Sagar. Of the 14 villages which will be submerged under the project, land acquisition has been completed in 13 villages. The people of only Vemulaghat village are opposed to surrendering their lands to the government as per GO No.123, officials told the minister.
The minister was also informed that for the proposed National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) in Zaheerabad, an extent of 4,000 acres of land was procured from local farmers under the provisions of GO No.123.
For the proposed project, which will be taken up by the central government as part of its initiatives to create investment and manufacturing zones across the country, 12,000 acres of land is required. Efforts are underway to procure the remaining extent of required land from local farmers, officials said.