Sans compensation for land across the fence, farmers in border district tense

Gurbaxpuri

Tarn Taran, December 1

Farmers of 47 villages in this border district, whose land lies between the barbed wire fence and zero-line at the India-Pakistan border, are perturbed over not getting compensation for their land.

Under the banner of Border Area Kisan Welfare Society, Punjab, farmers organised a protest in front of the District Administrative Complex on Wednesday against not getting the compensation for the last four years.

Raghbir Singh Bhangala, state president, and Surjit Singh Bhura Kohna, vice-president, were among others who addressed on the occasion.

Surjit Singh said in spite of the directions given by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the state government was not releasing the compensation for their land across the fence for the last four years.

Raghbir Singh Bhangala, state president of the society, said the Union Government had started giving this incentive to farmers in 1997. The then Union Home Minister Lal Krishan Advani, while addressing a gathering in Attari, had announced to give relief of Rs 5,000 per acre, which increased to Rs10,000, 10 years ago. The state and Central governments contribute 50% each to fund the compensation. Surjit Singh said in 2017, the then SDM Anupreet Kaur also embezzled an amount of Rs1 crore from the compensation amount, which was released in 2019, and hence was booked for fraud. Kulwant Singh Deputy Commissioner said the inquiry regarding the alleged embezzlement committed by the then SDM was still on. The DC, however, assured farmers of justice.

The leaders said Rs1crore, which was embezzled out of the compensation by the then SDM Patti had not been distributed to farmers so far.

According to reports 21,600 acre land of 220 village is situated across the fence and nearly 1 lakh farmers are affected in Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Fazilka and Ferozepur districts as their land lies across the fence.

Fact file

• The land of farmers of 47 villages in Tarn Taran district lies between the barbed wire fence and zero-line at the India-Pakistan border
• According to reports, 21,600 acre land of 220 villages is situated across the fence and nearly 1 lakh farmers are affected in Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Fazilka and Ferozepur districts as their land lies across the fence