Angry farmers stand up against industrial zone

Kamareddy: A big dharna, conducted by farmers for over 8 hours against the proposed Master Plan to set up Industrial Zone in the agricultural lands, turned violent as police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the mob at the Collectorate here on Thursday. Several farmers and cops were injured in the mild clash between them.

Farmers with the support of Congress and BJP marched in a big rally to the Collectorate and staged sit-in before it demanding the government to withdraw the proposal to set up the industrial zone in nearly 2,500 acres of farmland.

The state government has proposed to acquire the agricultural lands in eight villages located on the outskirts of Kamareddy town to set up industrial zone which includes developing 100-feet road, setting up industrial units and green zone. Farmers from eight villages have been demanding the government to scrap the plan and the Opposition extended its support to the agitating farmers for the last six months. As there was no positive response from the government to their demand, the farmers took the rally with the support of Opposition party leaders and workers. When they entered the Collectorate, the police cordoned off the entire promises. Farmers lost cool and tried to barge into the office. The special police forces obstructed the farmers and caned them. In the melee, a few cops and farmers received injuries.

Farmers' leaders said that a farmer named Ramulu committed suicide on Wednesday, fearing that he would lose his land to the project. After the farmer committed suicide, all the farmers fell in depression and came out to fight the establishment of the industrial zone.

To ease out the tension in Kamareddy, state IT and Industry Minister KT Rama Rao intervened and spoke to the District Collector on phone and instructed the officials to convince the farmers that the government was not yet finalised the Master Plan and it is at draft stage only. The Collector was told to take necessary steps ensuing no farmer gets affected by the Master Plan. BJP MLA Raghunandan Rao and former MLA Enugu Ravinder Reddy also participated in the dharna in support of the farmers.