YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) State general secretary Dadi Veerabhadra Rao has appealed to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to direct the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) officials to complete the land pooling work, which was started in Anakapalle in 2007.
In a letter to the Chief Minister on Thursday, Mr. Veerabhadra Rao noted that due to the negligence of previous governments, the lands of small and marginal farmers were stuck in the land pooling scheme (LPS) project, behind the NTR Market Yard at Anakapalle, for the last 14 years.
The land was filled with gravel and only some of the roads were constructed. The site was used as a helipad during the visits of former Chief Ministers. Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had also once visited the site by helicopter as Opposition leader in the past. Though there were no objections from anyone, the project was stopped for the past six years. The farmers were not even paid compensation, he said.
Mr. Veerabhadra Rao noted that the farmers were hopeful that the project would be completed during the tenure of the YSR Congress government. Several representations were given to VMRDA Commissioner P. Koteswara Rao but no action has been taken on them.
He explained that the erstwhile VUDA had decided to acquire 63 acres of land from 78 farmers and develop housing layouts. It was decided to some allot plots to the farmers while the remaining would be marketed by VUDA. The farmers had handed over 42 acres of land to VUDA some years ago. Some more farmers were prepared to handover their 15 acres to VMRDA for the past two years but the VMRDA was not coming forward for registration.
Mr. Veerabhadra Rao noted that the once the project work was started, the remaining six acres would also be handed over by the farmers. He also sought that the VMRDA should allot plots to those farmers, who have already handed over their lands. He reiterated his appeal to the Chief Minister to direct the VMRDA to complete the project or alternatively return the lands to the farmers.
