Farmers demand land award hike

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Mahendragarh, July 14

Farmers of 24 villages in the district on Sunday organised a panchayat in Baghot village here to decide their further course of action for getting compensation enhanced for their land acquired for National Highway 152-D from Kurukshetra to Mahendragarh.

The panchayat, that lasted over two hours, resolved to continue their week-long dharna indefinitely until the demand was met.

They decided to submit a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner on Monday to apprise the authorities of their action. A 35-member committee was formed to lead the agitation.

“Around 700 acres in 24 villages in the district has been acquired for National Highway 152-D. The authorities have announced land compensation of Rs 10 lakh per acre, which is not justified. We are demanding compensation as per the market rate of Rs 50 lakh per acre,” said Ramesh Dalal, chief of the Bharat Bhoomi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, spearheading the agitation.

He pointed out that the highway would pass through six other districts — Charkhi Dadri, Rohtak, Jind, Karnal, Kaithal and Ambala. He said residents of Charkhi Dadri and Jind had also been agitating to get their land award hiked.

Though the authorities had raised land compensation from Rs 9 lakh per acre to Rs 17 lakh per acre in both districts, they were not satisfied and had been demanding Rs 50 lakh per acre, he added.

“Over 480 acres in 27 villages of the district have been acquired for another highway to connect Narnaul, Rewari and areas of Rajasthan. Residents of these villages are also a part of the agitation,” said Dalal.

He further said a mahapanchayat had been convened at Jafargarh village in Jind district on July 28 over the issues concerning farmers.

“A considerable number of farmers across the state, leaders of khap panchayats and representatives of farmers’ outfits and social organisations will attend the mahapanchayat to discuss the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal, minimum support price of various crops and compensation for land acquired. They will decide the course of action to ensure justice for farmers at the mahapanchayat,” he added.