Hyderabad: CPM state secretary John Wesley on Sunday urged Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to immediately compensate farmers displaced by the Pippalkoti Reservoir in Bhimpur mandal, Adilabad district. He demanded that action be taken under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
Wesley visited the fields of affected farmers on September 27. In an open letter to the Chief Minister, he said the displaced farmers had lost their livelihoods and were now living in distress. He also noted that four of them had died due to financial hardship.
He recalled that the embankment project began in 2018. However, despite promises, the government has not paid compensation. Many farmers, expecting a fair settlement, borrowed heavily. Wesley urged the state to pay compensation, provide one job per family, and support landless agricultural workers.
Pippalkoti project oustees yet to receive promised compensation
According to Wesley, a barrage was built between Chanakha and Korata villages on the Penganga river, which carries only 0.8 tmc feet of water. The reservoir, spread over 1,200 acres, has a storage capacity of 1.4 tmc feet. Additionally, 1,000 acres were taken for canals and pipelines. The embankment spans 4.2 kilometres and covers 180 acres.
So far, 198 farmers have lost their land to the project. Officials initially promised completion within nine months. However, even after several years, the work remains unfinished. During this time, the project cost has risen from ₹369 crore to ₹800 crore.
Wesley pointed out that G.O. 120, issued in 2018, fixed the compensation at ₹7.8 lakh per acre. Due to a steep rise in land value, farmers are now demanding ₹18 lakh per acre. Despite earlier protests and public promises from Congress leaders, the issue remains unresolved. Wesley said the displaced farmers have restarted their agitation in search of justice.