Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh High Court refuses to stay allotment of house sites in Amaravati

Vijayawada : The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday refused to pass interim orders on a petition filed by farmers of Amaravati challenging the state government's move to allot house sites in the capital region to non-locals. The High Court declined to stay the process of allotment but said the allotment of house sites will be subject to the final judgment in the case. The YSRCP leaders and ministers are in a jubilant mood saying that it was a setback to the Opposition and all those who have been opposing houses to the poor.

Meanwhile, farmers of Amravati have decided to knock on the doors of the Supreme Court against the High Court’s refusal to stay the order declaring a new zone R-5 to provide houses for poor in about 900 acres of land in October 2022.

The move has angered the farmers who are already protesting the decision of the state government to develop three state capitals. However, ignoring the objection of farmers, the government went ahead by issuing a gazette in March.

Amaravati farmers' Joint Action Committee (JAC) said the decision was taken without consulting the farmers. They challenged it in the High Court on the ground that this would change the status of the capital region and affect their interests.

The farmers challenged the allotment of house sites in violation of the master plan. They argued that locals should be allotted the sites after development of the region. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Ravi Nath Tilhari, however, refused to give any interim directions on the petition. The government defended its action.

It argued that farmers can demand lands assured to them by the government, but it has the right to allot land to anybody. The court was told that the government has taken a decision to allot land to the poor.

The new zone-R-5-in the capital region will be within the boundaries of Krishnayapalem, Nidamarru, Kuragallu in Mangalagiri mandal, Manddam and Ainavolu villages in Thullur mandal.