In 2012, backed by the CPI(M), the farmers from the remote Peddaganjam village had planted red flags on their land taken over for the prestigious Vaderavu and Nizampatnam Port and Industrial Corridor (Vanpic) project.
Soon, their counterparts in places such as Aluru, Devarapatnam, and Kothapatnam followed suit, emboldened by the support received from the Marxists and other parties, including the Congress and the TDP.
Former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had even gone to the extent of ploughing the Vanpic land with tractors and promising to return it to the farmers on coming to power. But Mr. Naidu had taken no steps to fulfil the promise while in power between 2014 and 2019.
With no sign of the promised sea port, ship-building industry, and airport in sight, the farmers wanted the YSRCP government to “voluntarily” return the large tracts of land, including those assigned to the dalits and tribals, back to them.
“We have lost hope of the project getting grounded in the wake of the reported arrest of Nimmagadda Prasad, who had promoted the venture along with Ras Al Khaimah, during the rule of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy,” said Vanpic Vyatireka Porata Samiti convenor P. Shankar, who hails from Motupalli, a flourishing port during the medieval times.
The farmers, however, harp on the announcement of Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari that the Centre was ready to develop the port project if the State government handed over the land for the purpose.