SIDDIPET: More trouble is brewing for the state government over the proposed Mallanna Sagar reservoir project. Even as the government is facing opposition from submergence-prone villages, more particularly Vemulaghat in the Gajwel Assembly constituency, the farmers of five more villages in Dubbak constituency, who will be losing their lands for the main canal works under the project, are now up in arms against the government.
Farmers from Dumpalapally, Chellapur, Rajakkapet, Hassanmiyapur and Appannapally villages demand that the government hold discussions with them before acquiring their lands. “The government can’t fix a rate for our lands on its own, as is happening in other places in the district. We want fair compensation,” said the villagers who held a dharna at Dubbak tahsildar’s office.
The Congress and CPM, which have extended their support to the agitating farmers, want the government to pay Rs 15 lakh per acre for the lands acquired for the project. The government is acquiring lands in these five villages for constructing the main canal to divert water to Mallanna Sagar reservoir which is being constructed with a storage capacity of 50 tmcft of water.
“The government could not, even after 400 days, resolve the problems of Vemulaghat villagers. We want the government to take us into confidence before acquiring our lands,” said a villager. After Dubbak tahsildar V Aruna assured the farmers that she would bring their demand to the notice of district collector, the farmers withdrew their protest.
“About 400 acres of land is to be acquired for construction of the main canal,” Aruna told Express, adding that no notification had been issued so far. She said the price of lands for acquisition would be decided by the collector based on the market price.
Land acquisition for Konda Pochamma project to be expedited
Meanwhile, the government has decided to expedite the process of acquiring 4,500 acres for Konda Pochamma project. Chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao held a meeting with the farmers and offered H12 lakh per acre and officials on the very next day started registering the lands of farmers. The government is trying to exert pressure on the farmers. A special camp was set up at Siddipet RDO office and about 80 percent of the lands have been registered.
Land to the extent of 886 acres is to be acquired from the submergence-facing Bailampur village under Konda Pochamma reservoir and officials have almost completed acquisition of more than 700 acres. Officials said a total extent of 2,000 acres is to be acquired at Mamidyala village and 1,300 acres of land has already been registered. Of the 900 acres to be acquired at Thanedarpally, 500 acres of land has been registered. Meanwhile, some farmers of Bailampur have thought of approaching court but are in a fix as 80 percent of the farmers of the village have registered their lands in favour of the government.