Compensate settlers for land acquisition: MLA

Abohar, March 2

MLA Sandeep Jakhar has in a letter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has urged the government to compensate the residents of the local Seed Farm who are affected by acquisition of land to construct a bypass road.

20 ACRES TO BE ACQUIRED

Jakhar said that under the Bharatmala Project, about 20 acres of land is to be acquired to connect Abohar-Fazilka Road with the Abohar-Malout Road. Since the said land belongs to the Punjab Government, the NHAI will pay the compensation for the land to the Punjab Government. The MLA urged CM Mann to make necessary amendments to the rules to facilitate payment of compensation to the people who would lose the land

The MLA said in the letter that many families have been living here for the last 50 years and even though the land belongs to the Punjab Government, they have access to electricity connection, voter ID card and Aadhaar card but they do not have ownership of the land. Punjab Government has opened schools, provided roads and other infrastructure here and the residents also have their own elected panchayat.

Jakhar said that under the Bharatmala Project, about 20 acres of land is to be acquired to create a new highway through that land, to connect Abohar-Fazilka Road with the Abohar-Malout Road. Since the said land belongs to the Punjab Government, the NHAI will pay the compensation for the land to the Punjab Government.

The MLA urged CM Mann to make necessary amendments to the rules to facilitate payment of compensation to the people who would lose the land.

He said that the previous Captain Amarinder Singh-led state government had resolved to give the ownership rights to the farmers who have been cultivating the said land in Seed Farm. A notification was finalised but nothing happened after the change of power. He hoped that the Punjab Government would look into this matter and find a solution.