The Srikakulam police in Andhra on Monday pulled down a protest camp erected by the Left Parties near the district collectorate, demanding compensation for the oustees of the Vamsadhara project.
The New Indian Express reported:
Vamsadhara activists, with the support of Left Parties planned to stage the protest for 36 hours at a strecth, seeking housing land of five cents and Rs 8.11 lakh for the construction of house, and maintenance charges for three years. The same package was offered to the Polavaram project oustees for its construction. Vamsadhara activists decided to go on a protest after the recent negotiations made with the government, which announced a package of Rs 5 lakh to Vamsadhara evictees have failed.
The report adds that the party leaders raised slogans even as they were detained by the police.
In April, chief minister Chandrababu Naidu had directed the district administration to settle the grievances of persons displaced by the Vamsadhara project.
The Hindu had then reported:
The district administration wanted to settle the issues in an amicable manner as per the directive of the Chief Minister’s office which was very keen on early completion of Vamsadhara Phase-2 Project which is expected to provide irrigation facility to over 2 lakh acres in the backward district. The phase-2 could overcome all the inter-State water dispute hurdles recently, thanks to favourable orders from the Vamsadhara Water Dispute Tribunal.
In February this year, tension prevailed in the district as hundreds of villages started damaging chairs and tents, demanding better compensation. Police personnel had to intervene to quell the agitators.