The Andhra Pradesh government proposed the Vamsadhara Project in 1970 in Gotta village in Hiramandalam mandal, Srikakulam district. The project was initially taken up in two stages. Stage 1 was to create a barrage (low-head diversion dam) and the Left main canal to irrigate 398 villages. This was completed by 1977. Stage 2 of the project was intended to create an irrigation potential of 1.07 lakh acres. Later, the government decided to take up Stage 2 in two phases after a delay in obtaining land from Odisha. Work for the first phase began in 2002 and work was almost completed by 2019.
The second phase began in 2005 and the same year, the project received environment clearance. According to the Environment Clearance Report, 34 villages will be affected by the project, which will require 4,332 hectares of land.
About 6,840 families were offered a compensation of INR 1.30 lakh per acre for the second phase of Stage 2. But by the time they received the money, the market price of land had increased. The affected families could not buy alternate land with the compensation, and many turned to daily wage labour to make ends meet.
In 2017, a crowd of over 5,000 people from the affected villages protested at the site of the second phase of Stage 2 of the project. The protesters turned violent, setting fire to official vehicles and attacking the office of the construction company. They demanded revised compensation as per the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
Following the protests, former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu assured the people that "there is no reason to panic as land would not be acquired forcibly and adequate compensation would be paid as per the 2013 Land Acquisition rules". The government then appointed 19 special teams to listen to the grievances of the displaced people. The state released an extra INR 193 crore, in addition to the INR 420 crore released earlier. The government also offered INR 5 lakh to eligible youths under the Youth Package. At the same time, the government deployed some 2,000 personnel to guard the reservoir area. Reports suggest that protests have died down in Andhra Pradesh since 2017.
In September 2019, the Vamsadhara Water Dispute Tribunal directed the government to implement its order, issued on April 5 that year, whereby it has asked the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha governments to carry out a joint survey for identifying 106 acres of land for the construction of the second phase of Stage 2.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for compensation
Demand for promised compensation
Demand for rehabilitation
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common and Private
Non-Forest (Grazing Land), Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)
What was the action taken by the police?
Arrest
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
13
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Out on bail
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
Yes
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
Yes, they were produced within 24 hours
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Indian Penal Code, 1860
Sections 148, 307, 332, 342, 186, 188
Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984; Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1932
Section 3; Section 7(1)
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
Yes they were informed, Yes they had access
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Yes
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Project completed
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Residential area
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
933.99
Type of investment:
Cost of Project
Year of Estimation
1970
Has the Conflict Ended?
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Land Acquisition Laws, Central/State Government Policy
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Controversial land acquisition by the government
Delay in compensation
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Yes
Name of the adjudicatory body
National Lok Adalat
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Arrest/detention/imprisonment
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Yes
Reported Details of the Violation:
In 2017, a massive crowd of over 5,000 villagers from the affected villages had staged a protest at the project site, setting fire to vehicles belonging to Soma Construction Company. Around 102 protesters were charged with criminal cases.
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Government of Andhra Pradesh
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Farmers, agricultural labourers
What was the action taken by the police?
Arrest
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
13
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Out on bail
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
Yes
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
Yes, they were produced within 24 hours
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Indian Penal Code, 1860
Sections 148, 307, 332, 342, 186, 188
Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984; Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1932
Section 3; Section 7(1)
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
Yes they were informed, Yes they had access
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Yes
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
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