Date:08/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/08/stories/2008060855491300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

New Democracy campaign against displacement

Staff Reporter

KHAMMAM: The CPI-ML ( New Democracy) leadership on Saturday pledged its support to the cause of people displaced by the various developmental projects in Khammam.

The party has decided to launch a month-long campaign (June 20 to July 20) on displacement.

The campaign would be following by a long-term agitation, according to party district secretary P. Ranga Rao. Addressing a news conference here along with Muktar Pasha and Avula Venkateswarlu, he said Khammam district had for long been bearing the brunt of displacement caused by the irrigation projects and coal projects.

He said the district had also been paying the price for the industrialization process. The Government had shown scant regard for the rehabilitation of the displaced once the industrial units were commissioned, he said, adding that despite the hue and cry being made by the affected sections, the Government had remained unmindful. The CPI (M) New Democracy had resolved to fight the Government on the displacement-related ue issues.

To begin with, the party organized a sadassu at Yellandu on the displacement caused by the expansion of the opencast coal project taken up by the Singareni Collieries.

The protest would be organized in front of the office of the Special Collector of the Polavaram project.