Land relief: Farmers to stop entry of AAP, BJP nominees in 24 Patiala villages

Tribune News Service

Aman Sood

PATIALA, APRIL 24

Farmers from 24 villages have vowed not to let BJP and AAP candidates enter their villages to seek vote for the upcoming Lok Sabha poll. The affected farmers, now backed by the SAD candidate, are upset at the less price being offered to them for the land being acquired for the Northern bypass near the city.

Gave Rs 1.93cr in 2016

Ex-CM Parkash Singh Badal gave a compensation of Rs 1.93 crore to farmers for the land acquired for the Southern bypass in the city in 2016. — NK Sharma, SAD Patiala nominee

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate NK Sharma today said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the BJP-led Centre should award a base rate of Rs 2.88 crore per acre for 300 acres being acquired for the Northern bypass near the city or be ready for a sustained agitation by SAD to secure justice for farmers.

“Both BJP and AAP have refused to extend any help to us. The state government is not keen for any enhancement in the compensation amount and the Central Government has already announced the rate, which is not acceptable to us”, said farmers from 24 villages.

Sharma met the farmers and announced that he would take up their issue with the authorities and their demand was justified. “The Centre and the AAP government in Punjab are hand in glove to deny a fair compensation to farmers. Former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had given a compensation of Rs 1.93 crore to farmers for land acquired for the Southern bypass in the city in 2016. Now, after seven years, the AAP government is offering farmers a base rate of only Rs 30 lakh per acre,” he said.

“As per the Land Acquisition Act, the state government is bound to take the average sale price of the highest value of the land, which is to be acquired and give three-time compensation of the same”, added Sharma.

Meanwhile, the farmers claimed that as per practice, the average sale price of land acquired in Jassowal, Chamarheri and Sidhuwal villages was Rs 2.88 crore per acre. “Once three-time compensation is added to this, the final compensation comes to Rs 10 crore per acre compared to the final compensation of Rs 1 crore per acre being offered by the AAP government”, they said.

The land being acquired for the Northern bypass is close to the urban area and many companies had already purchased land for amount varying from Rs 4.60 crore to Rs 5.50 crore per acre several years back. “Today, this land is even more expensive with many residential colonies also being established in the area”, claimed Sharma, extending full support to the aggrieved farmers.

The farmers said the land had been transferred to the government in December 2021 but they were still awaiting announcement of the award. “We will oppose any programme or event being held in support of the BJP and AAP candidates in Patiala and will rather canvass against voting for these two parties,” said the farmers.

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