RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: The State government is ready to offer compensation for land acquired for the Purushottapatnam lift irrigation scheme on a par with that offered for the Pattiseema project, East Godavari Collector H. Arun Kumar has said.
The Collector was on Saturday addressing farmers of Purushottapatnam, Nagampalli, and Chinakondepudi villages, from where the government sought to acquire 249.58 acres for the lift irrigation scheme.
Joint Collector S. Satyanarayana was present.
Mr. Arun Kumar said that Rs.17.91 lakh per acre would be offered for the affected farmers of Purushottapatnam and Chinakondepudi, and Rs.15.35 lakh for those in Nagampalli.
“This is against Rs.7 lakh basic value in all the three villages,” he said.
When the farmers sought over Rs.19 lakh per acre, the Collector said that he would take it up with the government and settle the issue by the time the next meeting was held.
The Collector, however, asked the farmers not to create hurdles in the survey of lands. He also asked them to bring any issue bothering them to his notice, or approach Sub Collector Vijaya Krishnan.
After the Collector’s address, the farmers aired their problems and sought clarifications.
“We have already been affected by the Torrigadda and Pushkara lift irrigation schemes and, therefore, should be paid higher compensation,” said Karuturi Prasad and Ramesh Babu, farmers from Nagampalli.
Bhaskar Prasad, a farmer from Chinakondepudi, sought to know how much ayacut could be cultivated in Torrigadda.
“We fail to understand whether we stand to gain or not. We are losing lands to help irrigate someone else’s fields,” said Balakrishna, a farmer from Purushottapatnam.
“Earlier we used to sow three crops a year. After land acquisition, it will not be the case, for we can purchase only three cents of land in and around Rajamahendravram with the compensation being offered,” said Alluri Siva Ganesh.
Syamsunder, another farmer, demanded that land-to-land compensation be given to all farmers in the three villages.
After the farmers aired their views, the Collector made it clear that land-to- land compensation would be given only in the case of Scheduled Tribes. He, however, said that compensation would be paid for ceiling lands too.
Mr. Arun Kumar directed tahsildars to take up survey of lands only after informing all the farmers in advance.
Ms. Vijaya Krishnan said that she would visit all the three villages and interact with farmers if needed.
