Pattiseema: Andhra Pradesh Ready To Pay 25L Per Acre!

In a bid to fast-track the Pattiseema lift irrigation project, the AP government has come forward with the offer of the highest ever cash compensation to farmers willing to part with their land for the project. 

While farmers in Krishna district are being offered Rs 25 lakh per acre, farmers in West Godavari district are being lured with Rs 19.5 lakh per acre. However, the catch is that the farmers are not satisfied with this offer and want more.

“Farmers are demanding six to seven times the market rate in return for giving up their land for the project. Still, we have offered the best compensation as compared to all other previous packages. We are ready to pay them six times the market rate,“ Adithya Nath Das, principal secretary , irrigation department, told INNLIVE.

As per the new land acquisition Act, the compensation should be four times the market rate.Besides, a comprehensive rehabilitation package should be given, which includes education, employment and housing benefits.

Though the Pattiseema project actually requires only 250 acres, that too for laying underground pipelines, the irrigation de partment has proposed acquiring land for the Polavaram right main canal project too, of which Pattiseema will become a part. Under this project, the government has identified 3,545 acres in Krishna district and 2,012 acres in West Godavari district for acquisition.

The rationale behind offering a high compensation was to complete the land acquisition process for both the projects soon so that the work can be expedited. However, farmers in Nuzivid, Gannavaram, Agiripalli and Bapulapadu in Krishna district are demanding more than Rs 25 lakh per acre on the grounds that the value of their land has shot up after it was decided to set up the new capital between Vijayawada and Guntur.

“How can we give away our land for Rs 20 to 25 lakh per acre when we are getting offers for double the amount from private parties,“ farmers in Krishna district argue. Protesting against the acquisition, famers from 19 villages in Krishna district have moved the court. The district administration is now making all out efforts to convince the farmers to withdraw their petitions.

The scene in West Godavari, however, is somewhat better.Farmers in Polavaram, Jangareddy Gudem and Nuthan Gudem are demanding more than Rs 20 lakh per acre (as against the government offer of Rs 19.5 lakh per acre), claiming that their land was more valuable as they would get water from the Polavaram project. 

Revenue offi cials offered to pay Rs 17 lakh per acre imme diately and the remaining Rs 2.5 lakh after two months based on the progress of the acquisition.Several farmers agreed to the rate, but wanted it to be paid in one go.

To ensure that the Pattiseema project is completed within one year, the irrigation and revenue department officials are aiming to complete land acquisition by this month end. According to Adithya Nath Das, the acquisition process would be completed by June.