Barely 550 acres of land was spared by the farmers and private land owners for the proposed Machilipatnam deep sea port project as against required 2,300 acres of private land (patta land), signalling further delay in execution of the project. The port was proposed to be developed in an extent of 5,300 acres, including 3,000 acres of assigned and government land, in Machilipatnam mandal.
The Revenue Department had recently transferred 3,000 acres of government land to the Department of Ports for the project. Of late, gathering 1,800 acres of private land (patta land) remains a Herculean task for the revenue and the Machilipatnam Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
The State government is unable to fix a time frame to begin the works, owing to delay in gathering the total land required. On the other hand, the public representatives have earlier attempted to convince the private land owners and farmers to part with their land for the port. But such efforts remain a futile exercise now.
“We will go to the farmers one more time from July 24, appealing them to part with their land. We will try to get their support by addressing their queries on their livelihood options, land related issues and package,” said Law Minister Kollu Ravindra.
“If everything goes well, the land pooling for the port land (1,800 acres of patta land) is likely to be completed by August 10,” added Mr. Ravindra.
Wait and watch
Meanwhile, the farmers and private land owners are preferring to wait and watch until land acquisition notification expires by August 31.
The farmers will have the right to get credit support and crop loan from the banks and sale or mortgage their land once the land acquisition notification is expired.