252 acres acquired but Rewari farmers yet to get compensation

Ravinder Saini

For the past nine months, farmers of 18 villages in Rewari district have been struggling to get compensation for their land acquired for the construction of a bypass to connect Rewari to Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) through the National Highway No. 11.

They say that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had assured them of giving the land compensation within a week but it did not keep its word. They have been running from pillar to post to get compensation but no one is paying heed towards their grievances. They have also filed a complaint at the CM window for justice, they add.  The compensation totalling Rs 360 crore is to be disbursed among farmers for 252 acres acquired in various villages, including Narayanpur, Saharanvaas, Husainpur, Daliyaki, Jatuvaas, Bhadavaas, Bhawadi, Kamaalpur, Devlavaas, Dhamalka, Chhurivaas, Shehbazpur Khalsa, Bariavaas, Majra Gurdas, Kalaka, Bambad, Madhya Kalan and Dwana.

“In 2018, land in 34 villages was acquired for the construction of a bypass and the compensation award was announced on December 12. While taking the ownership of the acquired land, the NHAI promised us that the compensation would be paid within a week. It paid  compensation to the farmers of 16 villages but the landowners of 18 other villages had been making rounds of government offices since December last year,” says Suresh Yadav, an affected farmer. 

Suresh says that on approaching the local revenue office, they learnt that the NHAI had put the process for the disbursement of compensation on hold citing technical reasons. Since they are now not the owners of the land acquired, they can neither carry out agricultural activities nor use it for other purposes, he adds. 

Manav Malik, District Revenue Officer (DRO), says that the NHAI had divided the villages in two packages (3 and 4). “Sixteen villages were included in package 3 while the remaining 18 villages were part of package 4. The compensation for the land acquired in 14 of 16 villages has already been disbursed while the process to release the award to the remaining two villages is under way. The NHAI has put the case of 18 villages on hold saying it has not yet got approval from the Union Finance Department for the payment,” he says.

Lal Singh, another farmer, says that they are fed up with hearing repeated assurances from NHAI officers. It is surprising that the state government is not intervening in the matter despite several requests. They will be compelled to take stringent steps for justice if the compensation award is not disbursed to them soon, he adds.

Manoj Kumar, Chief General Manager, NHAI, Delhi, says that the case has been sent to the Central government and the process to disburse compensation will be initiated on getting approval. 

“The case was sent to the Central government before the Lok Sabha elections but the approval could not be obtained due to the imposition of the model code of conduct. After the elections, the new government passed the budget. Hence, we are now expecting to get approval soon,” he adds.