Capital region residents seek state balm for sleeplessness
People are wondering if the government will keep its word on the land pooling proposal
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-11-05 05:58 GMT
Vijayawada: Villagers living in the state capital region are a worried lot these days.The state government’s land pooling proposal is giving them sleepless nights, as their very future is at stake. Everywhere one goes, the topic is more or less the same – what will become of their future if the government forcibly acquires their land. While this debate is going on in every village, the conversation is more intense in the six villages on the Krishna riverfront.
V. Appa Rao, a resident of Venkatapalem who has four acres of land, said, “If I hand over my land to government, when will it give me back my share? If it fails to keep its promise on time, what will be my position?” He continued, “At present, we farmers can sell our lands as per our wish but once we hand it over to the government, we have no option but to wait till the establishment of the capital.”
Mr Appa Rao said that he was luckily he sold one acre of his land before the land pooling system was proposed and got his daughter admitted in a private medical college under the management quota. Uddandayarayapalem sarpanch Battula Koteswara Rao said these questions are being echoed in every village. “People are repeatedly asking what if the government fails to keep its promise and hand over their share of land. What is the guarantee that it will keep its word?” the sarpanch, who is a Telugu Desam leader, said, admitting that the delay in implementing the agriculture loan waiver scheme has not helped the government’s cause at all.
A. Yesu, a tenant farmer from Rayapudi said that he depends on two acres of land taken on lease. “Tenant farmers will have nowhere to go. Amidst all this talk about landowners and government, no one is talking about tenant farmers.” K. Venkateswara Rao, a native of Tulluru, said that capital construction will take at least 10 years and the government promised to pay compensation for the same period. “What is the guarantee that the same party will come to power and the next government continue giving compensation?” he asked.
B. Nagesh, a native of Penumaka village and a TD leader, said that the people have a lot of doubts and government should clear those first. “Only then would the government be able to collect the land it wants smoothly,” he said.