Mallavalli villagers of Bapulapadu mandal in Krishna district are opposed to give up the lands they have been cultivating for several decades.

The villagers alleged that the government is trying to forcibly take their lands to give them to industrialists. Nearly 100 farmers from Mallavalli village went to the collectorate in Machilipatnam on Monday and submitted a representation to the officials requesting the latter to give pattas to the lands since they had been cultivating for several decades.

The village is located abo-ut 10 km from the Hanu-man Junction, which is on the National Highway. Villager Akkineni Vara Prasad said they have turned the barren forest land fertile after many years of hardwork and growing mangoes and other crops.

He said the minister for secondary education Mr K. Parthasaradhi and district officials held meetings with the farmers during the last one year and asked them to move to other places. He said the officials are not sanctioning pattas to the villagers citing that the land belongs to the forest department and they need permission from the union government to sanction pattas.

He questioned how the government will give rights to industrialists for setting up industries. He said the Andhra Pradesh Industrial and Infrastructure Corpo-ration is holding discussions with the farmers.

Another villager Chinnala Ranga Rao, 70, said he has been cultivating the land for more than 40 years and questioned where he would go now if the government asks to vacate the land. The villagers submitted a representation to the district officials in Prajavani in the collectorate.