MLA stages hunger strike against land acquisition in Shoolagiri

KRISHNAGIRI AIADMK co-coordinator and Vepanapalli MLA K.P. Munusamy on Friday staged a token ‘hung

AIADMK co-coordinator and Vepanapalli MLA K.P. Munusamy on Friday staged a token ‘hunger fast’ against the proposed land acquisition for SIPCOT in Shoolagiri.

The hunger strike saw participation by the AIADMK functionaries, but without farmers.  Farmers of some panchayats in Shoolagiri, especially Ayyarnapalli and surrounding villages, have raised objections to the proposed acquisition of lands for SIPCOT. The objections by farmers had manifested in sporadic protests over the past few weeks. 

 Earlier, speaking to The Hindu, Collector V. Jayachandra Bhanu Reddy said, the district administration had only identified lands and is scouting for lands for SIPCOT. As of date, no administrative sanction has been granted.  

According to the Collector, no notices were issued to the farmers.  It was notified in 2014, and is not a recent proposal, Dr. Reddy said, hinting that the proposal was raised during the earlier AIADMK regime.