HYDERABAD: The special compensation package announced for the land losers under the Outer Ring Road (ORR) project has failed to bring solace to the Association for ORR Displaced Persons of the metro region.

Terming the package as an eyewash and a unilateral one, the Ranga Reddy district committee of the association said they would settle for nothing but `land for land'.

Several farmers, including women, losing over 80 per cent of their lands, hailing from Pedda Ambarpet village of Hayathnagar mandal, Korremula village of Ghatkesar mandal and other areas met on Tuesday to chalk out their future course of action.

The meeting addressed by Ranga Reddy district BJP general secretary S. Malla Reddy, TDP leader Mahender Reddy, CPM secretary D.G. Narasimha Rao, and association district convener V. Amareshwar resolved to organise a `Chalo Assembly' programme on December 19.

Meagre compensation

The leaders from various party said that the compensation announced at Rs. 8 lakhs to Rs. 25 lakhs an acre was too meagre while the land value was more than Rs. 1 crore an acre.

As the land losers were small farmers dependent on cultivation for livelihood, they should be given land for land from the nearby Government lands or paid market rate as compensation.

The terms of package were also discriminatory, they argued. "We don't want a rupee as compensation. If our lands are taken for the ORR, let the Government give us alternative lands," said Balamani, B. Ramulu and others.

They warned that they would not allow ORR works unless the Government came out with a package agreeable to them. "We have saved our small piece of land for generations. The meagre compensation would be of no use to us and how would we eke out our livelihood?"

Cultivable lands

Ghanta Prabhakar Reddi, MPTC member of Pedda Amberpet said about 140 acres of cultivable lands in the village were being acquired.

The land near the Vijayawada National Highway, just 18 km from the city, became valuable much before the ORR project was announced.

The alignment was shifted to spare the lands of the rich and the influential.

"Government should give us alternative land available in the Survey No. 244 besides 1,250 acres of reserve forest in the vicinity," he said.

M. Maisaiah, G. Narasimha, M. Anjaneyulu of Korramula village of Ghatkesar near Musi said they cultivated paddy as they had abundant water supply and they wanted land alone for cultivation.

Same was the plea of an SC farmer Jangaiah of Kokapet village.

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