Nellore: Demand for more relief stalls reservoir project

Nellore: An unusual demand by the farmers for compensation as well as same extent of land towards their land acquired for a reservoir under Telugu Ganga Project has halted a project taken up in 2009 at Venkatramarajupeta in Kaluvoy mandal of Nellore district. The reservoir designed to supply irrigation for 2,000 acres and drinking water in the neighbourhood at an estimated cost of Rs 6 crore remained incomplete because of the stance taken by the farmers allegedly at the instance of some ruling party leaders. Incidentally the same farmers had agreed for a compensation of Rs 1,20,000 per acre but prevented the irrigation wing to take possession of the land demanding more after some political leaders provoked them in 2009.

Revenue officials’ efforts to convince the farmers to hand over the land failed after a farmer attempted self immolation when they went to take possession of the land in the same year. Having completed Rs 1.2 crore worth of work pertaining to the project, irrigation officials once again floated tenders a few months back and awarded the work to a contractor for Rs 5.77 crore but the firm could not commence the work because of resistance from the locals.

Their latest demand is Rs 6.7 lakh compensation per acre since National Highways paid the same amount to acquire land for the highway in Kaluvoy mandal recently. Irrigation officials said 8.35 acres was patta land, 12.63 acres was DKT land and 12.2 acres are government land out of the 33.18 acres required for the formation of the reservoir and the issue is only with the Patta land. Revenue officials who are busy with MLC elections are contemplating to take the issue to the notice of the government after the election to find a lasting solution.