Farmers from six villages — Aut, Banala, Panarsa, Takoli, Nagwain and Jhiri — held a meeting at Nagwain in this regard today and decided to intensify their struggle for fair compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement package for their land and assets to be acquired, as per the new Land Acquisition Ordinance, promulgated on January 1 this year.
Brigadier Khushal Thakur (retd), who presided over the meeting, said farmers were seeking humane, participative, informed and transparent approach from the Centre, the state, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the land acquisition agencies.
He said the present land acquisition process was a colourful exercise of power and to rush the entire process of land acquisition to cheat and betray the innocent poor farmers at large by taking away their land for pittance and forcing them to spend their rest of lives with a begging bowl.
Brig Thakur further said: “The provisions of the National Highways Act, 1956, are such wherein declaration under Section 3(d) if made, which is likely to be made very shortly to bypass the new Land Acquisition Act, will empower the state to take away land free from all encumbrances without even assessing and completing the inquiry relating to compensation. Thereafter, it cannot be even appealed in any court of law.”
Farmers had lodged their grievances and apprehensions with the Senior Land Acquisition Officer, Pandoh, on April 24, but nothing had been done so far, he said.
Despite repeated requests, no rehabilitation and resettlement schemes had been prepared by the state government and the NHAI, he said, adding that no rehabilitation and resettlement mechanism, as given in the new law, had been started which was a grave violation of the constitutional rights of the public.
“The land which is being acquired from Aut to Manali is commercial, multi-cropped irrigated land, having orchards, shops, used for tourism and other economic activities. Current land prices have gone up considerably over the years and unfortunately the market rate fixed by the Collector has not moved in tandem with these inflationary and developmental trends,” he said.
To give just and fair compensation to farmers and affected communities as well as to arrive at realistic and accurate market value of the land, the aspects as explained need to be factored in taking into confidence the affected farmers and communities through consultation and dialogue mechanism, he said.
Brig Thakur said farmers were not against land acquisition for defence, economic and developmental purposes, but they were worried about their future and livelihood and as such were forced to spend sleepless nights.
The social and economic status of a farmer and affected communities post acquisition must get enhanced, he said.
Source:Tribune News Service
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