The Hindu 19.03.2010
Farmers oppose VMC’s plans for land acquisition
Staff Reporter
PHOTO: CH.VIJAYA BHASKAR 
Farmers argue with the officials of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation during a meeting convened in the council hall to discuss proposals for land acquisition, in the city on Thursday.
VIJAYAWADA: About 100 farmers of Veduru Pavuluru village near Mustabada of Gannavaram mandal vehemently opposed the proposal of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) to acquire 203.45 acres of agricultural land in the village and use it for constructing 14,000 houses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Municipal Commissioner G. Ravi Babu convened a meeting with the farmers in the council hall of the Corporation on Thursday and explained the proposal in detail. He said that the VMC was planning to develop the land and share it with the farmers in 60:40 ratio. The Corporation had already acquired land in Jakkampudi village and was developing it in the same method for housing. Under JNNURM, 29,000 houses were sanctioned to the city, of which 15,000 were in various stages of construction. The proposed site would be used for taking up the construction of the remaining houses, he said.
The farmers maintained that the land in their village was useful only for agriculture and not suitable for housing. They also said that the site identified by the authorities was a low-lying area and would get inundated during floods in the Budameru every year.
Mr. Ravi Babu said that the issues mentioned by the farmers would be examined. He assured the farmers that the land acquisition would be taken up only with their consent. Chief City Planner P. Timma Reddy, Assistant City planner Venkata Subbaiah and other officials were present.
