The Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham (AIKS) is preparing for a struggle against the proposed massive land acquisition for the Amaravati Outer Ring Road (ORR) Project. The TDP state government is pursuing this project, with the full connivance of the BJP central government.

The ORR is a 189 Km long, 250 meters wide corridor (earlier it was planned to be only 70 meters wide). Its cost is estimated to be Rs 24,790 crore. Over 10,000 acres of land is to be acquired from peasants in 121 villages in 23 mandals of 5 districts – Guntur, Krishna, NTR, Palnadu, and Eluru. The compensation proposed is much less than the actual market price of the land. 

An AIKS delegation comprising its National President Dr Ashok Dhawale, State President V Krishnaiah, State General Secretary K Prabhakar Reddy, AIKS district secretary K Ajay Kumar and district vice president M Sivasambi Reddy, and AIAWU district secretary E Appa Rao visited Gudivada, one of the affected villages in Guntur district. 

Several peasant women and men expressed their anguish against this disastrous land acquisition. Poor and marginal peasants are most angry, because they stand to lose all or most of their land. The delegation actually saw the fields which are slated for the land grab. The AIKS leadership assured full and active support to the peasants in their struggle for justice. 

The AIKS has already organised a convention of the affected peasants on April 21. This will be a big struggle, the next steps of which are being carefully planned.