Won’t let go of land for expressway: Farmers

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 15

Over 2,000 protesters associated with the Delhi-Katra Expressway Sangharsh Committee held a march toward the CM’s residence in Patiala here today. They said they would not part way with their land their remaining portion after acquisition would be of no use, and also the compensation was meagre.

The farmers raised slogans against the central and the state governments. They said the Centre aimed to acquire land from 11 districts without addressing their concerns.

Committee chief Sukhdev Singh Dhillon said, “The multiplication factor for the acquisition of the land is low. The compensation applicable as per newly released notification is meagre.”

The state government, in a notification this week, modified multiplication factor rates for land acquisition. According to it, the market value of the property to be acquired will be multiplied by one in case the land falls within 5 km from the outer boundary of any municipal corporation. It will be multiplied by 1.25 in case the land falls within 5 km from the outer boundary of any council or committee. The maximum compensation rate will be provided for properties falling above 20 km from corporations and councils.

The protesters will now hold a meeting with MP Singh, OSD to the CM, on January 19. — TNS