Farmer unions say land ‘forcibly’ acquired for NHAI re-occupied

Mahesh Sharma

Mandi Ahmedgarh, Nov 19

The kisan unions of the region have locked horns with the administration over the issue of taking possession of land acquired by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the construction of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway under the Bharat Mala project.

While the civil administration claimed to have taken possession of some plots of land situated at Chhapar village in Ludhiana district, farmers led by office-bearers of Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) and Kisan Union Sidhupur, claimed that they have reoccupied the said fields by demolishing ridges made as token of possession by the government.

District leaders of the union including Saudagar Singh Ghudani, Rajinder Singh Sihar and Charanjit Singh Phallewal lamented that the administration had attempted to take possession of land belonging to some farmers of Chhapar village on Saturday illegally and forcibly, which they had ‘foiled’ today by demolishing the ridges made the administration.

Saudagar Singh Ghudani said that last year too an attempt was made to take possession of the same land, which was foiled by the farmers following which the administration had promised that the issue would be resolved amicably. “But despite the fact that the owners had sown wheat crop in their fields, the administration attempted to feign having occupied the land by making ridges in the absence of farmers on Saturday,” said Ghudani claiming that the land was re-occupied by the farmers concerned with the efforts of activists of Kisan Unions on Sunday.

SDM Ludhiana (West) Dr Harjinder Singh, on the other hand, claimed that the administration had taken possession of certain fields at Chhapar village for handing over the same to the NHAI. Dr Harjinder Singh said appropriate action would be taken if the NHAI authorities report any obstruction in the project.

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