Farmers in T’gana’s Kamareddy district to intensify protest

Hyderabad: Farmers in seven villages of Telangana’s Kamareddy district on Sunday announced an action plan to oppose the proposal to acquire their lands for setting up an industrial zone.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of farmers decided to continue its fight against the master plan for Kamareddy town.

After holding a series of dharnas at the district collector’s office and other forms of agitation during the last 3-4 days, the farmers have now decided to intensify their protest. They will submit representations to 49 municipal councillors irrespective of their party affiliations on January 9.

After a break on January 10, the farmers will stage dharna at the municipality on January 11.

Farmers have been staging dharnas, rasta rokos and observing a bandh against the proposed master plan.

They also filed a petition in Telangana High Court, challenging the master plan. They found fault with officials for earmarking fertile agricultural fields in Adloor, Yellareddy, Elchipur, Tekrial and other villages for an industrial zone.

The farmers said that 1,210 acres of agricultural land has been brought under the green zone and industrial zone under the draft master plan and expressed the fear that the government would take over their land.

Municipal authorities set a January 11 deadline for receiving objections to the draft master plan. The farmers claimed that they have already sent over 500 legal notices to object to the industrial zone. Alleging that officials disregarded their objections, they approached the High Court.

Farmers have been agitating for the last one month against the master plan, demanding the exclusion of their agricultural lands from the proposed green zone and industrial zone

They intensified the protest last week after a farmer, Payyavula Ramulu (40), committed suicide fearing that he would lose his land. Police foiled an attempt by some farmers and Ramulu’s relatives to stage a protest along with the body in Kamareddy.

Opposition BJP and Congress are backing the farmers. BJP president Bandi Sanjay had also joined the protest by the farmers at the district collector’s office on Friday. Sanjay was arrested and later released.

The district authorities have clarified that the master plan is in the draft stage and nothing has been finalised.

District collector Jitesh Patil clarified that the master plan covering 61.55 square kilometers is in the draft stage. He said the final master plan would be released after necessary amendments based on suggestions and objections received in 60 days. He assured the farmers that the officials would take note of their objections.