Fresh hearing sought for Pharma City land

Hyderabad: Opposition is growing to land acquisition for the Hyderabad Pharma City, which requires 19,333 acres of agricultural land located in 12 villages. The government says it will be the first green Pharma City with zero liquid discharge.

Residents of the villages were sceptical, and a farmer threatened “mass suicide” if the land was forcefully taken. The residents sought fresh public hearings in all the affected villages, and claimed that many residents were excluded from the earlier hearing.

Ms K. Saraswati of the Movement Against Pharma City, Telangana, said assigned and patta lands belonging to local farmers were being acquired.
“They want to pay Rs 12.5 lakh per acre of for patta land and Rs 8 lakh for assigned land. The market value is Rs 40 lakh to Rs 45 lakh,” she said.
She alleged the government had not conducted the social impact assessment.

“When we approached the court, they suggested that we move the National Green Tribunal. Justice will be delayed as there is no judge to look after the petitions,” she claimed.

She claimed that the draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report did not mention the number and type of units that would come up at Pharma City. Mr Narayan Rao, a farmer from Tatiparthi, one of the affected villages, said, “We live by farming. If the government takes away the land, what will be our situation?” He said the village had 200 farmers  and 300 agricultural labourers.

“They are assuring money for landowners but what about those who do not have land,” he asked.

Mr Rao said they were not ready to give land and would commit suicide if the government forcibly acquired it.

Mr N. Ramesh from Mediapally said that when they opposed the project, officials said that since the assigned land was given by the government, it could take it away as well. He alleged that the officials had said they would not acquire patta land. “We have not received proper compensation for the assigned land. When they came to acquire patta land against their promise, we objected. We have been following the land Act and stopped the acquisition of patta land,” he said.

“We gave land also because revenue officials threatened us that if we didn’t do so, they would invoke the Preventive Detention Act and take away our land. We tried to voice our concern in the Environmental Public Hearing on October 11, 2017. Most of us were arrested and the rest prevented from participating,” said Mr Yadav Reddy, a resident.

Mr J. Venkatesh, a resident of  Panjaguda who is member of the Movement Against Pharma City, said, “We wrote to the Union ministry of commerce against according National Investment and Manufacturing Zone status to Pharma City, as GO 123 and GO 45 under which all the assigned lands have been acquired has been suspended by the High Court.”

He said despite their presentation of evidence, the Centre had granted environmental clearance to Pharma City. “The only relief we got was that the Centre said farmers’ land should be acquired with consent and there should not be any forcible acquisition,” he said.

Officials denied the allegations of land being forcefully taken. Mr E. Venkat Narsimha Reddy, vice-chairman and managing director, Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, said all land acquisition was being done as per the law.

“We have issued notification all the 12 villages. The Centre has given environmental clearance. There will be no chance of irregularity or unlawful activities,” Mr Narsimha Reddy said. He alleged that some people were levelling baseless allegations on the project.