Social Worker Advices to State Acquiring Government Lands for Airport
The government is planning to acquire lands from farmers in Bendapudi area by paying them suitable compensation.
Kakinada: Prominent social activist DN Ramesh has requested the Kakinada district collector Harendhira Prasad to acquire government lands at Arempudi near Tuni, instead of Bendapudi, for establishing the proposed airport.
The government is planning to acquire lands from farmers in Bendapudi area by paying them suitable compensation. But the government lands of 235.893 acres are available for this purpose elsewhere, he said.
According to him, the government lands at Arempudi near Tuni were the ideal alternative for constructing an airport without causing trouble to the people, wasting government funds, or encroaching upon farmers’ lands.
He questioned the necessity of acquiring private lands by paying crores of rupees in public funds under the pretext of establishing an airport. Nearly 235.893 acres of government poramboke waste lands are available within the limits of the Prathipadu constituency. Utilising the land would be mutually beneficial to both the public and the government, he said.
The activist said the Arempudi region occupies a highly strategic location in terms of transportation as also factors such as its proximity to NH-216, its close access to the Kathipudi-Kakinada port road, the availability of water from the Tandava reservoir and its elevated geographical position.
He proposed that this land be utilised not merely for an airport, but also for multi-purpose projects such as a solar park, a biogas plant, an MSME industrial park and drone training centre. “A single decision could potentially open the gateway to development for the Godavari districts.”
Ramesh said it is time for the district administration to act in a transparent manner, taking into full consideration the lands of farmers, public funds and the interests of future generations. He demanded that the district collector conduct a comprehensive inspection of the lands in Aremudi and bring the facts to light before the public.
The dream of an airport should be realized but not the not at the cost of farmers’ tears, nor through the wastage of public funds, he stressed.