VIJAYAWADA: The farmers of the capital region, who had given their lands for Amaravati construction, are a worried lot. The remarks of Municipal Administration and Urban Development minister Botcha Satyanarayana on Amaravati sent shockwaves among the farmers, who had given their lands voluntarily for the capital city. Even as they await a concrete announcement by the YSRC government, the farmers are in the process of chalking out a strategy, which may also involve moving court, to tackle if the ruling party put the capital city project on the back burner.
Even though it has been close to three months since the Jagan government comes to power, there has been a stoic silence on its policy with regard to the development of Amaravati. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and his ministers, however, have been alleging large-scale irregularities, including insider trading, in Amaravati, and subsequently, an expert committee has been constituted to review the works awarded in the previous TDP regime. The committee submitted preliminary reports and Botcha Satyanarayana said that they were being examined.
With all these remarks, the farmers from 29 villages in the capital region went into a huddle last month to discuss their course of action. “We decided then to wait till the government makes an announcement. So far, they have just made allegations,” one of the farmers who participated in the meeting told TNIE. “However, Botcha’s remarks on Tuesday created a flutter as panic gripped our villages. Though the minister did not specifically say that they would relocate the capital, we felt that they were preparing the ground for a major announcement,” another farmer, who had given four acres under LPS observed. There are about 22,000 farmers who had given their lands and got plots in return. However, the plots are yet to be developed.
The farmers are hoping that Jagan would make an announcement once he returns from the US. Sources in the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) said that the CM would hold a review meeting, the third one so far, on the capital on his return.Those who had given lands also suspect that the YSRC leaders were deliberately making critical remarks in a bid to hype real estate in other parts of the State.
“If they suggest that the capital could be relocated, then the land prices here would plummet. They would give a few leaks on potential areas of development and the prices would go up there. This could be a reason. Or, they may be diverting the public attention from other issues,” another farmer, who did not want to be named, observed.For now, the farmers are in a wait-and-watch mode. “Until the government gives a clarity, all we can do is hope for the best. However, if it comes to a point where we have to fight for our rights, we will not hesitate to do so,” they said.
On their part, the ruling party leaders maintained that there was nothing wrong in Botcha’s statement.
“All that he said was Amaravati was a flood-prone area and that it would cost more to build te capital there. He also said that capital location was against the recommendations of Sivaramakrishnan Committee. None from the government said that the capital would be relocated. So, there is no need for concern,” YSRC MLA Ambati Rambabu said on Wednesday.