Lagacherla controversy: Vikarabad district administration withdraws land acquisition notification

According to an advertisement released by the district administration to certain vernacular dailies, the land acquisition notification issued to acquire 632 acres from 580 farmers in Lagacherla has been withdrawn

Vikarabad: Heeding to the unrelenting fight put on by tribal farmers since the last few months, the Vikarabad district administration has withdrawn the notification issued for land acquisition in Lagacherla. There however was no mention of Hakimpet and Polepally villages, where also villagers were protesting against the proposed pharma village.

According to an advertisement released by the district administration to certain vernacular dailies, the land acquisition notification issued to acquire 632 acres from 580 farmers in Lagacherla has been withdrawn.

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However, this has not been communicated to the villagers who were protesting against, neither has the government made any public announcement despite all the furore over the issue.

Since the last few months, tribal farmers and residents in Lagacherla and neighbouring villages have been up in arms against the establishment of a pharma village in their vicinity.

In the gazette notification issued in July this year, it was clearly mentioned that the Industries and Commerce department declared land acquisition at Hakimpet, Polepally and Lagacherla villages covering 1358.37 acres for establishment of pharma villages in favour of TSIIC.

On November 12, when district Collector Prateek Jain and KADA Special Officer Venkat Reddy went to the village to conduct a public hearing programme, the villagers and tribal farmers chased them away. The farmers stood firm and declared that they would not part with their lands for the establishment of a pharma village.

After the incident, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s elder brother Tirupati Reddy had visited the Vikarabad collectorate. Speaking to media persons, he had categorically said irrespective of the opposition from villagers and tribal farmers, land would be acquired for pharma units.

However, in sharp contrast to the gazette notification and following the stiff opposition from villagers, the Chief Minister had lied that the Lagacherla plan was for an industrial corridor and not a pharma village.

When a Left party delegation met the Chief Minister last week, he had categorically stated that a pharma village was not being established spread over different villages in his constituency Kodangal. An industrial corridor was being established in Kodangal, he had said.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao had condemned the Chief Minister’s misleading statements and pointed out that after repeatedly announcing that a pharma village was being set up at Lagacherla and neighbouring villages, Revanth Reddy was confusing the State with his jugglery of words and aimless actions.