Andhra Pradesh returns 2,180 acres Special Economic Zone land to farmers

The Kakinada Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) farmers have succeeded in eventually making the state government agreeing to return those areas of land back to the farmers.  

On Tuesday, the nearly one-and-a-half-decade farmers' protest and struggle under KSEZ was fruitful with the state cabinet agreeing to return about 2,180 acres of land in the district to farmers who declined to take any compensation. If there are limited areas of 5-10 acres of land adjacent to KSEZ, the "land-for-land" scheme would grant these farmers the same amount of land elsewhere. Many of the farmers called Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy "the farmer's protector" following the announcement. 

Political parties such as the BJP, the CPI, the CPM, Telugu Desam and several NGOs visited the region and voiced support for the farmers. In the initial phases, the Kadali Organization led by its Secretary K. Rajendra initiated the agitation by raising consciousness among farmers about the environmental problems they could face in the future. Rajendra took many ecologists, including Medha Patkar and Balagopal, to the area. They generated farmers' consciousness and submitted representations to central and state governments on their behalf.

‘When he was the opposition leader, Jagan visited the KSEZ region during his padayatra and vowed to solve the problem. The Chief Minister fulfilled his promise and proved his integrity,’ said Chinta Suryanarayana Murthy, convener of KSEZ Vyathireka Porata Samithi.

He thanked MP Vanga Gita of Kakinada, MLA Dadisetti Raja of Tuni, MLA Pendem Dorababu of Pithapuram and others who totally supported farmers on the issue. ‘The announcement came on the auspicious 'Bhishma Ekadasi' day,’ Samithi chief Bavisetti Narayana Swamy, said. ‘The people of the region will worship Jagan as a saviour,’ he added.

When Chandrababu Naidu was in opposition in the united AP, he told KSEZ farmers that if he came to power, they would give back their lands. But he did not keep his pledge since taking office, despite leading the state from 2014 to 2019.

'The protest of the farmers was sponsored by all political parties and we thank them all.  We will never forget CM Jagan as he has finally done us justice,' said KSEZ Vyathireka Porata Samithi convener Chinta Suryanarayana Murthy.