Andhra speeds up land acquisition for irrigation projects

Government formulates series of measures

It was a move meant to halt the Andhra Pradesh's irrigation projects proposed on the surplus waters of Krishna. Instead, it has had a completely reverse effect on the state government.

The Karnataka government's complaint to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday against the proposed irrigation projects based on Krishna water in Andhra Pradesh has only made the Andhra government more determined in its approach.

Instead of budging on the issue, the government has formulated a series of measures to speed up the land acquisition process for the same.

Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who conducted a review meeting on the progress pertaining to the new irrigation projects on Friday, not only issued necessary instructions to speed up the administrative formalities for land acquisition but also asked his irrigation minister to inform the farmers not to litigate on the issue of compensation for the land to be acquired.

The government also has the option under law to take possession of land by depositing 75 per cent of its market value with the court.

The message is clear. While terming the Karnataka government's objections to the irrigation projects as a mere ploy to cover up its own violations of the Krishna Water Tribunal's orders, the chief minister has sent a strong signal that his government will not be deterred by any such claims.

Soon after coming into power, the Congress government in the state had announced plans to undertake the construction of about 26 ongoing and new major irrigation projects with a total cost of Rs 46,000 crore in both Krishna and Godavari basins.

While setting aside the earlier objections of the General Administration Department (GAD), the chief minister today issued orders to enable special deputy collectors to be appointed as in charge special collectors, which are cadre posts, for land acquisition.

To facilitate the implementation of its massive irrigation development programme, the new government has created 44 deputy special collector (land acquisition) posts in addition to the existing 34 posts. Of them, only 10 posts are yet to be filled up, for which the government has already issued orders.

Among other decisions, the chief minister has also instructed the officials to transfer 26,000 acres of land, identified for distribution to landless poor, to the forest department in return of 18,590 acres of forest land to be acquired for the irrigation projects.

Addressing a media conference after the meeting, irrigation minister Ponnala Laxmaiah said that his government would present its arguments in support of the projects before the new Tribunal, which is scheduled to hold its first meeting on May 19, 2005.

According to him, the state government is going to spend a whopping Rs 695 crore to pay compensation for the proposed land acquisition during the current financial year alone. The government has earmarked another Rs 200 crore for the land under court litigations.

Under major irrigation sector, a total 3.65 lakh acres of land is estimated to be required to implement the proposed projects of which 1.83 lakh acres has already been acquired. The government has completed formalities to acquire another 1.82 lakh acres.

During the nine-month period in the last financial year, the government spent over Rs 288.61 crore for land acquisition for the proposed projects.

While countering Karnataka chief minister Dharam Singh's objections, Laxmaiah referred to the Supreme Court's observations in 2001 on the petition filed by Karnataka government which ruled that Andhra Pradesh has the right to construct projects based on the surplus waters of Krishna river.

"It is Karnataka which practically violated orders of the Krishna Water Tribunal while constructing Upper Tunga and Upper Bhadra. It also violated the Court's orders on the conditional permission given to raise the height of the Almatti Dam on Upper Krishna," he said.

However, the minister did not rule out the possibility of taking an all-party delegation to New Delhi in support of the new irrigation projects.