Several farmers in Vizianagaram district taken a unique step to stage protest against the land acquisition for Reliance Data Center, which needs around 850 acres of land in Bhogapuram mandal of Vizianagaram district. They have been staging the protest for the last couple of days by standing in front of the mandal parishad officer by removing their shirts.

Currently, the government has around 50 acres of land and it needed to acquire 800 acres of land for the project. A few farmers had already approched AP High Court.

They boycotted a meeting organised by Bhogapuram Mandal Development Officer D.Swarupa Rani on Friday.

‘Around 250 acres come under assigned land category. The farmers cannot sell them to private parties. But the government can resume them after paying compensation to them’ said a senior official.

He said that the farmers should wait for the court order while saying that acquisition is done in accordance to rules and regulations of the Land Acquisition Act. According to him, the land is needed in Polipalli , Bhogapuram East and West areas. The government is hopeful that Bhogapuram area would develop quickly with establishment of the data center.