Nuclear plant: 473 acres handed over to NPCIL.

The State government recently handed over 473 acres of land to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) to facilitate construction of an atomic power plant in Kovvada village of Ranasthalam mandal in the district.

The government would hand over the remaining 1,500 acres of land in three months. Revenue Divisional Officer B. Dayanidhi handed over the relevant documents to NPCIL Project Director, Kovvada, G.V. Ramesh, at a programme organised in the office of the tahsildar in Ranasthalam. Later, the officials performed traditional ‘puja’ near Kovvada. NPCIL senior officials P. Bangarayya Setty and P.R. Devara, and tahsildar K. Sriramulu were present.

According to the revenue officials, the government will construct a model colony for the 2,200 families facing displacement in Dharmavaram village of Etcherla mandal in the district. An extent of 250 acres of forest land has already been acquired for the construction of the colony. Similarly, 350 acres of land has been identified in Kotcherla village for the construction of a township for the NPCIL officials and staff members.

The officials are hopeful of acquiring the remaining land with the cooperation of the villagers who, they claim, have agreed to accept ₹18 lakh per acre as compensation. The NPCIL, which deposited ₹384 crore for the purpose, has expressed its satisfaction for adopting a transparent method in identifying the beneficiaries. District Collector K. Dhanunjaya Reddy told The Hindu that the compensation was being paid for structures and trees too.

“We are sure to provide maximum benefit to the displaced persons under the new Land Acquisition Act, 2013. The guidelines of the Act are being implemented in letter and spirit,” he added.

THE HINDU