Article Today, Hyderabad: Tribal farmers in Jaggaram village of Dummugudem mandal, Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, continue to await compensation for lands acquired under the Sitarama Project. Despite five years passing since the award was issued, they claim they have received neither payment nor justice. The farmers expressed their grievances before National ST Commission member Jatoth Hussain Naik during a hearing held in Hyderabad on Friday.
Award Passed, But Compensation Not Paid
On September 30, 2020, authorities passed an award for acquiring 103.07 acres from 124 farmers—122 of them belonging to the Koya tribe and two from the OC category—under Package-12 of the Sattupalli trunk line. However, the affected families say no compensation has been paid to date. They added that the land records were transferred to the Irrigation Department’s name, making them ineligible for schemes like Rythu Bandhu. Several also alleged that existing palm oil plantations were not acknowledged in the award, leading to further losses.
Land Values Have Risen Sharply
Farmers pointed out that land prices in the area have significantly increased since 2020. Current rates range between ₹15 lakh and ₹18 lakh per acre. Many of them now earn around Rs.1.5 lakh per acre annually through palm oil farming. Given these changes, they say they cannot accept the outdated award amount of ₹8 lakh per acre. Instead, they demanded that the old award be cancelled and fresh compensation of Rs.25 lakh per acre be granted.
Unequal Compensation Across Regions
Farmers questioned why they were offered lower compensation compared to others. They cited a recent award passed in March 2025 for land in Julurupadu, where the state government approved Rs.21 lakh per acre through the intervention of Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao. Jaggaram farmers argued that their lands are more fertile and deserving of even higher compensation.
Concerns Over Canal Alignment
In addition to compensation issues, the villagers raised objections to the alignment of proposed feeder canals under the same project. They alleged that the canals are being designed to destroy productive palm oil plantations and benefit contractors. The canals, they said, would affect 43 acres without providing any irrigation benefit. Instead, they proposed a more sustainable solution—constructing three recharge channels to link three local tanks and improve groundwater levels without harming existing farms.
Appeal for Intervention from ST Commission
The affected farmers urged the ST Commission to intervene and ensure fair treatment. They demanded that the old award be scrapped, new compensation be aligned with current market prices, and damages be paid for all plantations and trees. Tribal farmers including Kursam Chinna Raju, Kalluri Rajeshwar Rao, Vanka Mutyala Rao, Venkatravu, and Karam Sriramulu submitted their representation seeking justice through lawful intervention.
