The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Cancel salt company’s land lease: CPI

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Thursday, Aug 23, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Cancel salt company’s land lease: CPI

Special Correspondent

Narayana successful in ‘hide and seek’ game with police at Chinnaganjam

Security ring: CPI State secretary K Narayana being escorted by women to keep the police at bay at Chinnaganjam on Wednesday.

ONGOLE: Amid high drama, CPI State secretary K. Narayana foiled all attempts of the police to arrest him and reached Chinnaganjam village in Prakasam district on Wednesday to demand the Government to cancel the lease of 560 acres given to a salt company and distribute the land among the local poor.

To escape from the dragnet of the police, Mr. Narayana had to travel by boat in the sea from Chirala to Chinnaganjam. When he reached Chinnaganjam, about 1,000 women threw a human cordon around him to keep the police at least 20-30 feet away him. They took him through the dry prawn ponds and empty salt farms and marched over 10 km to reach the martyrs pylon in a circuitous route. In emotion-choked voice, Mr. Narayana expressed willingness to lay down his life for the cause of the poor in Chinnaganjam.

He said that salt production would pollute drinking water sources in 11 surrounding villages. The Government must distribute the land among the poor to help them raise crops using water from Krishna Western delta.

It was the TDP Government that leased out the land to Snow White company in 1999. When people agitated against the lease, the police opened fire killing two persons in Chinnaganjam in 2000. Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who was then the CLP leader, promised to cancel the lease if Congress-I was elected to power. But the company could get the lease renewed. It was time Dr. Reddy proved his sincerity. Chinnaganjam throws Agni Pareeksha for him, Mr. Narayana said.

All India Kisan Mazdoor Sangh general secretary, Atul Kumar Anjan launched the second phase of the land struggle.

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