Guntur: Farmers protest at land swap', evicted

GUNTUR: Tension prevailed in Amaravati of Guntur district on Thursday during a programme to return plots after protests erupted by pooled farmers. The APCRDA had announced about allotment of plots to pooled farmers of Navuluru, Bethapudi and Yerrabalem villages in Amaravati Capital Region in the APCRDA office at Tullur through the lottery system. However, the pooled farmers of Bethapudi were shocked to learn that their lands have been identified as government lands.

They alleged that the records were tampered with, under which government lands were identified as patta lands and their lands as government lands.   They claimed that they had been cultivating the lands for decades and had been paying all taxes. When they started protesting, police rushed to the spot and asked the farmers to leave the programme. Angered, the farmers gathered in front of the APCRDA office and started raising slogans. This resulted in arguments flying thick and fast between farmers and the police.

Finally, the cops police evicted the farmers to ensure that the programme continued smoothly. Allotting plots, APCRDA commissioner Ch Sridhar said that APCRDA is preparing to call tenders for the development of returnable plots and layouts and develop the plots with all basic amenities. Mangalagiri municipal chairman G. Chiranjeevi, ZPTC Akula Jayasatya, Guntur joint collector Krithika Shukla and APCRDA officials participated in the programme.