Guntur: Farmers of Lanka (island) and assigned land owners are planning a series of protests seeking fair compensation and cancellation of GO 41. These land owners and farmers claim their land to be fertile (jareebu), which can be cultivated throughout the year, and are demanding Jareebu land package under the Land Pooling Scheme for the new capital Amaravati establishment.
But the government refu-sed the demand. Hence, they knocked the doors of the National SC Commi-ssion, which directed the government to give them Jareebu package. But as there is no response from the government, they have decided to launch a series of prot-ests, which would trouble Amaravati core capital development. The islands are situated in Lingayapalem, Uddan-darayunipalem and Raya-pudi, where the Amara-vati core capital city is proposed.
There are 15 islands in the Krishna river around Amaravati core capital and people are living in two islands and cultivating in the rest. The government planned to develop water tourism, making a good use of these islands. Decades ago, these islands were distributed to Dalit families and others by the government and nearly 1,600 Dalit families are dependent on these lands through agriculture and horticulture crops.
Leader of Lanka farmers N. Suresh said they never opposed LPS and offered their lands to the APCRDA, hoping to get residential and commercial plots in lieu under the scheme.
He alleged that the government refused to give returnable plots and compensation on par with fertile Jareebu lands. He said both Jareebu and Lanka lands are equal in fertility and production, but as their lands were stamped as Lanka and assigned, the government was playing games.
Residents of Pedpalem Lanka and other areas conducted meetings for the past three days to draw an action plan demanding cancellation of GO 41, wh-ich restrains them from fair compensation and implementing of Jareebu LPS package. The locals said already they had taken their issue to the notice of Jana Sena founder Pawan Kalyan, YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and other leaders.
