Delhi farmers to hold Mahapanchayat on Dec 22

Farmers from almost every village of Delhi will hold a Mahapanchayat in Mangolpuri here on December 22 to decide on whether to participate in the forthcoming Delhi Assembly elections or boycott these.

Palam Khap chief Surendra Solanki said several issues related to villages such as land reforms, house tax and compensation against land acquired by the government had been pending since long.

“The government is yet to allot alternative plots in lieu of the land acquired from villagers since early 2000s,” Solanki alleged.

Notably, Delhi has more than 360 under-developed villages, which have received cursory attention as compared to the urban areas.

As per locals, they are confined in cramped and unhealthy pockets by lal dora which has reduced them to living in inhuman conditions lacking in basic civic services such as water, power, healthcare and good education.

What is even more alarming is that these villages are not under any ward or rural panchayat, which leaves the fate of the villagers in a pitiful state.

Solanki said governments had been giving them assurances, but on ground the issues mostly remain unaddressed.

The Palam Khap chief alleged that land belonging to the Gram Sabha across Delhi’s villages was taken by the government in the name of urbanisation of villages. At present, the condition of the rural belt is like slums.

“The land was not used properly and further allegedly handed over for various other purposes, depriving villages of basic amenities,” Solanki said, adding all such issues would be discussed during December 22 Mahapanchayat and further call would be taken on the Delhi Assembly polls.