VIZIANAGARAM: Under the aegis of Left parties, tribal farmers from Kiltampalem, Musidipalli and Boddavara panchayats in S. Kota mandal staged a dharna at the Collectorate opposing land acquisition for Jindal's aluminium factory on Tuesday.

District secretaries of CPI (M) and CPI M. Krishna Murty and P. Kameswara Rao respectively said that revenue officials had completed survey of assigned agriculture lands in the three panchayats and maintained secrecy while pasting notices in the panchayat offices on January 18. The notices contained survey numbers for 1264 acres out of the required 1600 acres of land for the factory. Though an approval for mining bauxite in Anantagiri and Araku hills was awaited from the government, land acquisition process had begun, they said.

Water diversion

Further, the water required for the factory would be diverted from Thatipudi and Chilakalagedda, they said and added that the diversion of water from these two sources would affect 20,000 acres of ayacut. They criticised the government for its rigid stand in spite of stiff opposition from tribal farmers in the three panchayats and threatened to intensify agitation if the notices issued to sarpanches for land acquisition were not withdrawn.

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