Tirupati: Every morning, 66-year-old T. Chinnabba walks past the stretch of land near Agaramangalam village in Gangadhara Nellore constituency that once fed his family. But now, the land remains barren, carrying the weight of a promise made over two decades ago but never fulfilled.
Says Chinnabba: “In 2002, officials came and told us a mega leather industry would come up here. They said our children would get jobs and our villages would develop. Believing them, we parted with our lands.”
Once projected as a landmark industrial project for Chittoor, G.D. Nellore, and Puthalapattu constituencies, the project now exists only in government files, leaving farmers such as Chinnabba disappointed, as no industries have come to offer them a better future.
State government had identified 430 acres between Motaranganapalle and Agaramangalam villages for the proposed leather industry. Of the total land, 390 acres had been DKT and 40 acres patta lands cultivated by local farmers over the years. The land had been handed over to the Leather Industries Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (LIDCAP) for establishment of an industry.
However, even after 24 years, the project has failed to take off. For many families, it is a story of uncertainty passed down from one generation to another. “At that time, my father agreed to give away the land because officials promised compensation and jobs. He is no more now. But we are still waiting for both,” said another farmer from Agaramangalam village.
Farmers said they had initially demanded compensation of Rs 3 lakh per acre during the land acquisition process. But the then Congress government sanctioned only Rs 2 lakh per acre. Many farmers refused to accept the amount, following which the compensation process reportedly came to a halt.
With neither an industry nor clarity over land ownership, several families have been left in limbo for years. While some families returned to the land and cultivated mango and fodder crops for survival, others migrated in search of work.
Villagers recalled that the project had once generated hope among local youth, who believed industries in the region would reduce migration to major cities. Instead, many youngsters from the affected families have moved to Bengaluru, Chennai, and Tirupati in search of employment.
Now, with the NDA coalition government focusing more on industrial development, landowners are hoping for a resolution. They are demanding that the government either establish industries and provide the promised compensation and jobs, or return the lands to the original owners.
It is learnt that the farmers are now demanding Rs 30 lakh per acre as compensation, while the government has reportedly assured Rs 15 lakh per acre. While discussions are underway, district officials said their efforts are on to secure better compensation for the affected farmers.
Officials said 80 acres of the acquired land will be allotted to a Chennai-based company for setting up an industry and generating employment opportunities in the region.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
