New Land Deal Near Bhogapuram Airport? 2,000 Acres Under Scanner?!
Lands... lands... lands. In Andhra Pradesh, land has now become the main tool for scams involving leaders of the ruling party. The Dasapalla land issue in Vizag has been settled. A deal has also reportedly been reached involving a former Chief Secretary's lands. That is why no action has been taken against anyone in these matters. These are old cases. According to highly reliable sources, a person referred to as Kim, who is said to be associated with a key minister wielding considerable influence in the Andhra Pradesh government, along with a Rajya Sabha member who is reportedly very close to him, have allegedly acquired lands worth at least Rs 2,000 crore in Vizianagaram district. In fact, the government had initiated the process of land acquisition in this area for a Reliance project. While some land was required for the company, it is being alleged that those who entered the field on behalf of the minister acquired a much larger extent of land than what the company actually needed.
While the price of an acre in the area ranges from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2 crore, TDP sources themselves claim that the team acquired land from farmers for just Rs 50 lakh to Rs 70 lakh, using benami names, by telling them that their lands would be lost in the land acquisition process. Reliance Industries reportedly requires a total of 850 acres, while around 3,000 acres are said to have been acquired in the area. While some of this was officially acquired, it is alleged that a much larger extent was acquired unofficially in the name of land acquisition, saying that the land would otherwise be acquired. Of this, after accounting for the company's requirements, the team comprising Kim and the Rajya Sabha member reportedly targeted around 2,000 acres of land. The main reason is that all these lands are located very close to the newly inaugurated Bhogapuram International Airport in Vizianagaram district.
The entire land is reportedly located in and around Nandigam village. While some of these are D-patta lands, the majority are reportedly patta lands. On one hand, leaders who are acquiring highly valuable lands in Vizag through various means have now set their sights on lands in Vizianagaram district as well, particularly those around the airport, and are allegedly completing their operations. Some farmers who refused to part with their lands were allegedly threatened in various ways and the deal was completed, according to reports. An official revealed that the Revenue Department, along with all the relevant systems, was allegedly used for this purpose.
Criticism that the land hunger of ruling party leaders has no limits is reportedly coming even from leaders within the ruling party itself. The value of the land allegedly acquired by these key leaders is already more than Rs 2,000 crore. With the development expected in the area over the next two to three years, land prices in the region are certain to rise further. It is being alleged that key leaders targeted these lands by using their political power. Officials also reportedly say that such deals are now taking place on a much larger scale under the coalition government than what happened during the YSRCP government.
