GUNTUR: The hopes of the AP government for a swift pooling of lands in villages of Tullur Mandal where a majority of people support the Telugu Desam seems to be misplaced.

The region where a new capital is expected to be established, has managed to pool only 1,500 acres against the target of 30,000 acres by Sankranthi.

The villages of Tullur Mandal come under the Tadikonda Assembly constituency and T. Sravankumar of the TD had won the Assembly seat. The state government was hoping for a good response to Land Pooling System (LPS) but in vain.

Earlier, TD ministers and legislators, including the Assembly Speaker and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also visited Tullur to explain the benefits of LPS.

However, the slow response to LPS is worrying the TD. Therefore, minister for municipal administration, P. Narayana, is camping in the region to speedup up the land collection process.

The minister, along with local MLA and other leaders toured Nowluru, Dondapadu, Abbarajupalem, Inavolu, Velagapudi and Tullur to participate in the capital land collection gram sabhas and tried to convince the farmers to speedup LPS process.

The land collection was started in Nelapadu village 190 acres were given under LPS followed by Nekkallu with 424 acres, Anantavaram with 184 acres, Sakhamuru with 150 acres and rest of farmlands were given in Borupalem, Inavolu, Velagapudi, Mandadam, Abbarajupalem, Rayapudi and Tullur.

The CRDA issued notification in all villages of Tullur Mandal, farmers are taking form 9.3 application-cum-consent letter to offer lands but majority of them are taking time to submit form 9.3 fearing losing all rights on their own lands.

TD state secretary, Bellamkonda Narasimha Rao, admitting the delay has said that there is one month time to submit farmlands after issuing of CRDA notification so many farmers are taking time to know the form 9.3 norms thoroughly.

He said that local MLA, Mr Sravankumar, CRDA and revenue officials are assisting the farmers and landowners by clearing their doubts of LPS in every gram sabha and the LPS process would be speeded in the next two days.

Farmers of Nelapadu, N Appalaraju and others said that they are thinking about their livelihood and family safety so taking suggestions of experts to handover farmlands. They added that farmers are conducting meetings with family members about giving lands so the LPS process is delayed.

Meanwhile, the CRDA and revenue officials are including district collector, Kantilal Dande is facing a series of queries in every gram sabhas from farmers/landowners and are trying to attract them by explaining LPS offers including a chance to live in the world class capital.

Not an inch of land taken by force, claims minister:

Andhra Pradesh information technology minister Dr Palle Raghunatha Reddy said that not an inch of land was being taken forcibly from farmers for the construction of the capital city.

“People like Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who are anti-farmer, are trying to instigate farmers against land pooling. Rakshasas tried to block gods from having amrutam. Likewise, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy is trying to obstruct the welfare of farmers,” he said.

The minister, however, refused to clarify what would be done to farmers who did not give their consent. He said they were confident all farmers would voluntarily surrender their land and state would convince them.