Farmers add to Chandrababu Naidu’s woes, refuse to give land for new capital

GUNTUR: Revenue officials who are trying to pacify farmers to give their lands for the new capital of Andhra Pradesh had to meet with resistance during some meetings.

In a meeting of farmers, of Penumaka and Undavalli, held at Undavalli on Tuesday night, the farmers stated that they were unwilling to give their lands for the new capital.

Farmer N. Ramu and others alleged that the government was trying to snatch the lands of small and marginal farmers belonging to weaker sections.

They demanded the government to first acquire lands of wealthy Kamma farmers and also to use barren lands for the new capital.

In another meeting of farmers at Tulluru, the farmers demanded a 50-50 ratio of land pooling and put forth several other conditions to give their lands for the proposed new capital.

Three hundred farmers attended the meeting, which was conducted in the village panchayat office at Tulluru.

Revenue officials tried hard to explain to farmers the benefits they will get if they pool land for a new capital.

Guntur revenue divisional officer Bhaskar Naidu and Gurazala RDO E. Murali explained the benefits to farmers.

Farmer K. Nageswara Rao said that they would lose their livelihoods by giving fertile lands, which were giving three crops a year.

He said that farmers were seeking a 50-50 ratio of land pooling, employment to a member of the famer’s family, fair compensation and swift development of the farmers’ share of land.

Farmer B. Venkateswarlu said that they were ready to cooperate with the government if the AP government agreed to their demands.

Mangalagiri MLA A. Ramakrishna Reddy assured the farmers that the YSR Congress would protect their lands and launch protests.

He added that they were going to stop the Cabinet sub-committee when it visited the Mangalagiri constituency.

Meanwhile AP Rytu Sangham is going to conduct a meeting of farmers opposing the land pooling system on October 30 at Mangalagiri.

Rytu Sangham leader, G. Nageswara Rao said that farmers from Tadikonda and Mangalagri Assembly segments would participate in the meeting.