A 70-year-old farmer tragically passed away due to a cardiac arrest shortly after voicing his distress at a public meeting in Andhra Pradesh's capital region. The incident occurred on Friday during a grama sabha in Mandadam village, Amaravati, held to discuss the contentious land pooling scheme (LPS).
Pleading His Case Before Collapsing
The elderly farmer, identified as M Ramulu, was addressing Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana and local legislator Tenali Sravan Kumar. He explained the plight of farmers affected by the proposed road widening project under the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA). Ramulu expressed that while farmers were not opposed to land pooling, they demanded compensatory plots near the seed access road instead of the allocated land near a local stream, which they found unsuitable.
He voiced deep anguish, stating that officials had refused to change the plots, citing directions from Minister Narayana. "We are made to literally beg around the world after giving our precious land to the capital city," Ramulu reportedly said. Minutes after this emotional appeal, he collapsed in front of the minister and the gathered crowd.
Immediate Efforts and Fatal Outcome
Police personnel and locals immediately attempted to revive Ramulu using CPR. When he showed no response, he was rushed in the minister's official vehicle to a private hospital in Tadepalli. Despite these urgent efforts, doctors at the hospital declared him brought dead. An investigation into the exact cause of death has been initiated, with preliminary reports pointing to a sudden medical emergency.
Background of the Land Pooling Dispute
The grama sabha was organized as part of government consultations to convince farmers about the need to acquire land for widening roads to international standards. The CRDA's plan involves acquiring approximately 100 houses or the demolition of five local temples to develop six to eight-lane roads as per Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's vision.
A CRDA official stated that while the original plan avoided touching houses and temples, the new standards necessitated further land pooling. "We wanted to go by the locals' views," the official said. However, farmers like Ramulu felt betrayed by the allocation of returnable plots in undesirable locations, forcing them to negotiate with developers.
The sudden death has sent shockwaves through Mandadam village. Villagers are now worried that similar tragedies may occur if the government fails to deliver justice to the farmers affected by the land pooling scheme. The incident has intensified the ongoing debate surrounding land acquisition and farmer welfare in Andhra Pradesh's capital development projects.
