Acquisition for road: Farmers seek fair price for land

Our Correspondent

Fatehgarh Sahib, February 7

Farmers and members of district Road Struggle Committee today protested outside the Deputy Commissioner office against the low prices they were being given for their lands acquired under the Bharatmala Project for National Highway 205A connecting Mohali airport.

They presented a memorandum to the Tehsildar to be forwarded to the government through Deputy Commissioner, demanding an increase in the rates. The protesters threatened to intensify the agitation if the government acquired the land forcibly. The protesters have been sitting on the dharna for the last 20 months.

While addressing the media, Lakhwinder Singh and other leaders said the government was paying very low prices for their lands acquired for the NH project, which will cause them a huge financial loss. They said that they should be given six times the market rate as the land of certain farmers in many villages is adjacent to the GT Road and other main roads, their value is worth crores of rupees.

The government has been building pressure on the farmers to give their land while they are not ready for it. They said they had constantly been putting their demands before the government but to no avail.

They urged the District Administration to get the rates of their lands verified and said a solution acceptable to both parties should be worked out. They demanded a meeting to be arranged with CM Bhagwant Mann so they may put forward their case and apprise him of their situation. They also said lands of many farmers would be divided into two parts after acquisition, so the government should provide power connection to their fields and make necessary arrangements for irrigation, disposal of rain water and other problems.