KCR’s key irrigation plan in choppy waters

Suresh Dharur

Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, June 7

The proposed land acquisition for an irrigation project in Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao’s home district of Medak has triggered massive protests by villagers and the opposition parties.

The row over land acquisition for the Rs9,800 crore Mallanna Sagar project is turning out to be the first major political test for the CM as he completes two years in office after having successfully spearheaded the movement for separate Telangana state. Over 30,000 people spread over 14 villages in Medak district have hit the streets opposing the land acquisition. The local environmental groups and the opposition Congress and left parties are backing the protesters.

The proposed project is designed to store 51 thousand million cubic feet of water and to irrigate 12 lakh acres in the drought-prone Medak, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Warangal and Ranga Reddy districts. However, 14 villages in the district will be submerged when the project is completed. The government is planning to acquire over 20,079 acres of land for the project. The residents of Etigadda Kistapur and 13 other villages are up in arms against the government and vowed not to part with their lands.

A section of the villagers, backed by the opposition parties, insist on payment of compensation under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 instead of the package being offered by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) government. As per the package, a compensation of Rs8 lakh per acre would be given to the land oustees.

“We are offering far more than what land acquisition Act envisages,” said Irrigation Minister and CM’s nephew T Harish Rao. A farmer leader leading the agitation at Etigadda Kistapur village said, “We should at least be provided compensation as per the acquisition Act, which ensures compensation as per land value. The land value is Rs16 lakh per acre.”