Cabinet may discuss Rewari land acquisition issue today

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune news Service

Chandigarh, December 22

The sticky issue of land acquisition in Rewari for a logistics hub and the “high rate of compensation” being demanded by farmers is likely to figure at the Haryana Cabinet meeting slated for tomorrow.

Haryana Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu is learnt to have submitted his report to the government on the matter. The committee of ministers headed by Capt Abhimanyu which met representatives of farmers from the 16 villages where land is being acquired for the project met farmers last week where the latter submitted resolutions by their panchayats, seeking the release of their land.

Sources said the committee was now exploring various options, including dropping the idea of making the hub in Rewari and shifting it elsewhere. Sources said though the government was ready to pay compensation as per the new Land Acquisition Act, the committee members feel that the demand of Rs 2 crore as compensation would make the project “unviable”.

Also, the department is weighing the option of reducing the land requirement for the project to bring down the compensation cost.

Nangal Chaudhry MLA Abhey Singh Yadav is learnt to have evinced keen interest in getting the hub to his constituency. Sources said Yadav had even prepared the blueprint of the project and submitted details of where and how land could be acquired in his constituency. Sources said if the Haryana government decided to shift this project, it would be taken to a less developed constituency to ensure equitable development.

The government will have to proceed cautiously as the Rewari farmers are now divided into two groups. While some are not in favour of giving away their land at all, others are ready to part with theirs for Rs 2 crore per acre.

Sources said the government wanted to take an early call in the matter since the farmers have announced a mahapanchayat on December 27 to decide their course of action if the government does not give in to their demands.