Govt should rehabilitate displaced people: AIKS

Vijayawada, May 2: The CPI affiliated All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) today demanded that the Congress-led government in Andhra Pradesh provide proper rehabilitation to the displaced people following the construction of irrigation projects in the state.

At a press conference here, AIKS Vice-President Kolli Nageswara Rao said the state government should exclude the Income Tax on the compensation paid to the displaced persons.

Mr Rao, who is also President of Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham (APRS), said Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy had passed several demands submitted by them on April 30.

Stating that though the government had announced to supply water to one crore acres and drinking water to more than one crore people through various projects, he said about four lakh acres would be submerged and displaced.

Mr Rao said "through these projects crores of people may be benefitted but even a single person should not become a victim by losing livelihood".

As per the international water laws, any displaced should be treated as the first beneficiary while constructing the projects, he pointed out.

Mr Rao suggested that the government should implement the rehabilitation programmes after discussing with the people.

He demanded that the government should give land to the displaced farmers who lost their lands due to the projects. If the government failed to provide land, it should give compensation to those affected farmers.

UNI