Banjaras scuttle govt move on IT park in city

V R C Phaniharan / TNN / Aug 16, 2005, 02:14 IST

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The government's move to develop an Information Technology park at Gopannapally has come to a halt.

Banjaras scuttle govt move on IT park in city

HYDERABAD: The government's move to develop an Information Technology (IT) park at Gopannapally village on the outskirts of Hyderabad has come to a halt following resistance from local Banjara tribals.
According to IT department officials, Gopannapally was identified as a site for the development of IT park.
Accordingly, the government has asked the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) to acquire and develop lands at the village.
The APIIC, in turn, has asked the Ranga Reddy district authorities to acquire 500 acres of land at Gopannapally village. However, trouble started when the district collector had issued a land acquisition notification in July this year and nearly 370 Banjara tribals resisted the move. Some locals including the tribals had also moved the court.

Speaking to the Times of India, Ranga Reddy district joint collector V Seshadri said, "Land acquisition process was initiated following a request from the APIIC for 500 acres. But, the process has come to a halt following a High Court stay order."
All India Banjara Seva Sangh state unit president R Laxman Naik said the tribals and SCs were living in the area for generations and so reluctant to vacate the lands. The tribals have about 300 acres of land under their control.

He said that there was government land measuring 1,070 acres in the same village and another 2,000 acres of barren land lying vacant in Vatti Nagulapally village. "If the government is so particular in acquiring nearly 300 acres of our lands then let it pay compensation as per the market value," he demanded.
According to officials, the tribals are making the demand after a two acres of land in the same village fetched Rs 2.18 crore in an open auction. The APIIC will have to cough up over Rs 1,000 crore if the compensation is paid at the prevailing market value which is an impossible proposition for the government, the officials added.
Tussle between the tribals and the APIIC is delaying the process of allocating lands, sources added. The unrelenting tribals say if the government uses force they will take the issue to the National Commission of Schedule Tribes.

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