The Bhogapuram tehsildar's office in Vizianagaram district on Monday, saw farmers from 12 villages gather and raise slogans, demanding that the government scrap its land acquisition order for an international airport.

Along with the Bhogapuram Airport Vyathirekha Porata Committee, leaders from YSRCP, CPI(M) and CPI joined several farmers in staging the protest.

They also criticized  the release of notification for land acquisition after the ordinance to LA Act-2013 lapsed on the night of August 31, a report in The Hindu adds.

The report adds that mild tension prevailed between the police and party leaders after the former did not allow the representations to be submitted.

This protest comes one week after the state issued the notification for the construction of a greenfield international airport at Bhogapuram, 40 km from Visakhapatnam.

The proposed airport has been in controversy ever since it was announced. Initially, it was stated that 15,000 acres of land would be required for the project but it was scaled down to 5,000 acres after protests by the farmers.

It is also interesting to note that the Lok Sabha constituency of Vizianagaram, is represented by Union Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapati Raju of the Telugu Desam Party.

In all 862 representations opposing the airport seeking withdrawal of the GO for land acquisition.