Wild Animals Entering Villages Left Uninhabited Due to KSEZ
KSEZ Vyatireka Porata Samithi convener Chinta Suryanarayana said wild animals are destroying mango, sapota, cashew nut and other plantations.
Kakinada: Once fertile lands now taken over by the Kakinada Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) in Thondangi and U. Kothapalli mandal of Kakinada districts now look like a jungle with wild bushes and vegetation.
Unattended, they have become home to wild animals, in particular wild boars. These often enter nearby villages and end up mauling people. A farmer Mediboyina Tatalu of Mulapeta said that when he had been in the farm taking care of his vegetables, a wild boar attacked him, leaving him severely injured.
Other villagers charged that the wild boar are destroying their plants, causing them severe losses.
KSEZ Vyatireka Porata Samithi convener Chinta Suryanarayana said wild animals are destroying mango, sapota, cashew nut and other plantations. He demanded that KSEZ operators at least clear the jungle, so that animals do not thrive in them and destroy their crops.
People of two mandals accuse Kakinada SEZ of ruining their lives
Kakinada: Kakinada Special Economic Zone (KSEZ), formed with acquisition of land from farmers and owners in two mandals of the district, has not brought any benefits to its erstwhile residents, who lived a much better life. Most of them are today coolies or daily wage labourers.
State government had acquired more than 10,000 acres of land for starting the KSEZ, paying farmers ₹9 lakh per acre in two phases. However, farmers who cultivated lands over 2,180 acres refused to take compensation and surrender their lands. These farmers continued to cultivate their lands up to 2015.
However, after Telugu Desam assumed power post truncation of united Andhra Pradesh, KSEZ operators prevented these farmers from cultivating their lands. Following this, the condition of these farmers too deteriorated. The farmers said the then government did not extend them employment even under the centrally sponsored MGNREGA.
It is only after YSRC government came to power that farmers of Srirampuram, Ravivarappadu, Mummidivarappadu and Pativaripalem could get back their lands. With regard to Rama Raghavapuram, the government left it to its people to either leave or reside in the village.
“There are 53 families in the village at present. We are going through a struggle as the KSEZ is not allowing us to either build houses or sell existing ones,” said Muralasetti Jagan. He said his family has lost 14 acres of land and the state government has not included them in the Relief and Rehabilitation (R&R) package. Jagan requested the government to either allot houses to them in R&R colonies or allow them to build their houses in their own Rama Raghavapuram village.
Nalla Yesubabu of Mummidivarappadu village said that many of the people, in particular farmers and agricultural labour, have migrated to other places. Carpenters in the village are struggling to continue their profession. Likewise, other professional communities too are struggling to eke out their livelihoods.
Another villager Dulam Srinivas said KSEZ operators promised to provide them job cards and later jobs. But no industries have provided them any employment. “Our lives have become miserable. Some of our youth have MBA, B. Tech and other degrees. They are still waiting for jobs, Srinivas pointed out.
Kakinada SEZ Porata Samithi convener Chinta Suryanarayana said that there are nearly 53 villages and hamlets in the two mandals whose residents are struggling without jobs.
