Nellore, Sept. 8: Poor and downtrodden people living in Nelatoor, Krishnapatnam, Sembunithopu, Nakkalamitta and Ayyavarikandriga in Muthhukur mandal are struggling for survival after 4,500 acre land in the area was handed over to Reliance Power and AP Genco for setting up thermal power plants. While alternative arrangements are being made to shift people from small habitations like Nakkalamitta, Ayyavarikandriga and Sembunithopu in the wake of acquisition of villages apart from lands, there is no word from authorities with regard to major villages like Nelatoor and Krishnapatnam. Unlike farmers, who got compensation to the extent of Rs 7 lakh per acre, the condition of peasants is miserable since they have no work as all agriculture activities will come to a standstill once the lands go to the power projects. Another worry looming large over the locals is the compound wall being constructed by Reliance Power at the site allotted to them. They will not be able to take cattle for grazing nor collect firewood once the wall is in place. Reliance has already posted security guards all over their site to prevent people from cutting trees and taking up any other activity. Though the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme helps labourers to survive in other parts of the district, the scheme cannot be taken up in areas earmarked for projects. People are afraid of migrating to other places for survival since the compensation package related to dwellings is not yet complete and they do not want to be away when officials come for enumeration or for their signatures. Not only peasants, even farmers are a worried lot since they are not able to buy equal extents of land elsewhere in the wake of skyrocketing of land prices. "They have paid Rs 7 lakh per acre and the same extent of land costs anywhere above Rs 30 lakh in nearby areas," a farmer, Mr E. Kota Reddy of Nelatoor said. "Though they took away small habitations, they are quiet about Nelatoor and Krishnapatnam, which are in the midst of the thermal power projects," Mr Kota Reddy said. People from these villages suspect that authorities are purposely keeping quiet about acquiring Nelatoor and Krishnapatnam as people will automatically move away because of pollution problems once the projects start functioning.