Farmers resist takeover of 100 acres by KSEZ

Kakinada, Aug 26 (UNI) A vain bid by the management of Kakinada Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) with police escort to take possession of 100 acres of paddy fields at Ramanakkapeta village in Uppada Kothapalli mandal was thwarted as farmers squatted on the edge of the road and threatened to commit suicide rather than surrendering their fertile lands.

The agitating farmers picked up heated arguement with KSEZ chief project manager Wing commander Koteswerababu and prevented them from taking over the land.

Despite repeated pleas by Special Deputy Collector (Land Acquisition) N Pillai that the KSEZ management had already remitted the land cost in the court as per the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, the ryots told the revenue and police authorities that it was agreed in presence of local MLA Bellabbai Reddy sometime back, that fertile paddy lands would be exempted and only barren lands would be acquired.

The peasants said the 100 acres of the disputed land was most fertile and needed to be exempted from the land acquisition proceedings.

Tension prevailed for sometime after slogan shouting ryots threatened the police that they would commit suicide rather than surrendering their lands if force was used against them.

With the intervention of police officials both the parties agreed to wait till the legislator returned from Hyderabad to take a final decision on the disputed lands.

UNI XC VA SY AS1739