Need for 1000 acres lands VMC in trouble

Vijayawada, Jan 19: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is keen on acquiring at least 1000 acres in view of its future requirements. It has also proposed to set up a land acquisition cell to be headed by a deputy tahsildar from the Revenue Department and manned by other officials deputed from the Revenue Department. The VMC sought to acquire the land on its own.The VMC has already written to the State Government seeking its permission to set up the cell and the latter has, in principle, accorded its approval. The VMC is aware of the paucity of land for many welfare programmes.

At present, it took up housing programme on a grand scale under the JNNURM. While it wanted to build 28,000 houses, it could only build 2000 houses till now due to the shortage of land. If the VMC goes ahead with the housing programme, it would need another 300 acres.Though the Revenue Department has agreed to allocate 300 acres near Agiripalli, the farmers were reluctant to part with their lands and knocked the doors of the courts.With the courts granting stay on the acquisition, the VMC had to cut a sorry figure.

Its efforts to acquire 100 acre land for garbage dumping  faced similar fate. The VMC was trying to acquire 125 acres at Devinagar near the city on 60:40 basis but the farmers are not forthcoming. The new commissioner Ravibabu asked the officials to arrange another meeting with the farmers in a bid to convince them.Keeping these experiences, it is planning to acquire 1000 acres for its future needs.