Visakhapatnam: District administration had agreed to pay Rs 2 lakh to the farmers who have been cultivating 100 acres of the land in Gambheeram now earmarked for prestigious IIM. Of the total 388 acres of land identified by the district administration, 100 acres have been illegally brought under cultivation by farmers.

“Few years back the government has issued D Pattas to 37 acres of land to 19 farmers. And now we have decided to pay Rs 20 lakh per acre as compensation to these 19 farmers.

Apart from this the government has agreed to pay Rs 2.5 lakh per acre to the 100 farmers who have been in the land illegally for the past few years. Though they have been cultivating the land without any permission which is illegal, on humanitarian grounds government decided to pay compensation to these farmers also,” said Vizag RDO J.V. Murali.

Talking to reporters here on Monday, the RDO further said that government will take action against the farmers if they don’t evict the said land earmarked to setup IIM. He further said that, these same farmers approached court over the ownership of the land earlier which was ruled in favour of the state government. He added that government will start issuing notices to these farmers. Land earmarked for IIM is spread in 68, 88 and 71 survey numbers in Gambheeram.