Fighting Injustice in Polepally SEZ

Click HERE to view the photos of Polepally farmers & the SEZ, during our visit on 2nd August 2008.

Andhra Pradesh state government has forcibily acquired about 1000 acres of farm land at Polepally in Mahabubnagar district and is trying to establish a Formulations (Pharma) SEZ in these lands.
Local farmers - mostly poor, illiterate STs and SCs were bullied, threatened and were made to part with their lands for as little as Rs. 18,000 per acre. The same land is now being sold by state goverment (APIIC) at more than 100 times of that price to private pharma companies. Some of the farmers who lost their land are now reduced to construction labor at the SEZ construction site. Many farmers have already lost their lives in the struggle against this SEZ.
This blog showcases the valiant struggle of farmers from three affected villages: Polepally, Gundlagadda Thanda, and Mudireddypally against this Special Economic Zone.
While most of the blog posts will be in Telugu, we are trying to bring you excerpts of some posts in English too.