Malerkotla: Oppose delay in transfer of amount, not fixing of land compensation: Farm leaders

Malerkotla, August 29

Determination of compensation for land acquired for National Highway Authority of India project — Delhi-Katra highway in Malerkotla district — was not the bone of contention over which activists of Bhartiya Kissan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) had locked horns with the administration, following acquisition of over 1km span of land near Saraud village two days ago.

10-member committee constituted

• Revelations were made during a meeting held between BKU (U) activists led by state vice-president Janak Singh Bhutal and press secretary Jagtar Singh Kalajhar after a dharna held at Saraud was lifted late in the night on Wednesday.
• However, a morcha running at Ranwan since July 22, 2022, would continue till all issues related with transfer of amounts are resolved, said the farmer leaders.
• A ten-member committee was constituted to resolve individual issues relating to division of compensation among co-owners

The NHAI had also issued payments for all pieces of land acquired according to the revenue records. But in some cases, the issued amounts have not been transferred to the accounts of beneficiaries due to their disputes over division of the land.

Revelations were made during a meeting held between BKU (U) activists led by state vice-president Janak Singh Bhutal and press secretary Jagtar Singh Kalajhar after a dharna held at Saraud was lifted late in the night on Wednesday. However, a morcha running at Ranwan since July 22, 2022, would continue till all issues related with transfer of amounts are resolved, said the farmer leaders.

“We have decided to lift the dharna from Saraud after the administration led by DC Pallavi constituted a 10-member committee to resolve other issues related with some farmers,” said Bhutal and Kalajhar. They maintained that determination of compensation was not an issue here. They said no construction work would be allowed at the acquired land till all individual issues were resolved. “We will also use our influence to facilitate compromise among co-owners of land in disputed cases,” the leaders said.

DC Pallavi appreciated that the farmer leaders had agreed to withdraw from Saraud village after a committee constituting personnel from Revenue Department, Civil Administration and the police department. “We have already started receiving positive results in meetings held on Thursday,” said Pallavi. She maintained that she along with SSP Gagan Ajit Singh would monitor the progress of the committee till all issues are taken to a conclusive end.