SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal leaders party delegation to Governor and submits memorandum to him to ensure justice to affected farmers who are being offered ridiculously low compensation by the Congress govt)
Chandigarh (Gurpreet) The Shiromani Akali Dal today demanded “ at least a hundred percent hike in compensation to farmers for land being acquired under Bharat Mala Project for different highways in the State.
Addressing media persons after leading an Akali delegation to submit a Memorandum to the Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Mr Badal said Punjab farmers had been robbed of over Rs 25000 crores by the state government’s “devious and surreptitious decision” to substantially lower the collector rates for the farmers lands affected by the acquisition.” This acquisition will have collateral affects on neighbouring 75000 acres of land which will be rendered useless after being divided into sub parts.”
The Akali delegation comprised, apart from Mr Badal, Jathedar Tota Singh, Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, Jathedar Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, Jathedar Hira Singh Gabria, NK Sharma and Mr Harcharan Bains.
Mr Badal also declared that the SAD would fight for justice to the farmers till it succeeded in getting the government to withdraw or suitable change its decision.
He announced that the party would organize a Tractor March to the residence of the Congress Chief Minister Mr Charanjeet Singh Channi on September 29 to put pressure on the government to heed the just demands of the farmers. “Farmers have been agitating against the governmental high handedness on this issue. We have always stood by the farmers on every issue and we will continue to do so. Farmers and SAD are integral to each other.”
The Resolution submitted by the party decried “the shabby treatment meted out by the Congress govt. to the owners of 25000 acres of land acquired in 19 different districts of Punjab under Bharat Mala Project. The portions acquired are for Delhi-Jammu-Katra Express highway, Jam Nagar- Amritsar expressway, Amritsar- Una Highway , Ludhiana-Ropar highways, Barnala-Batinda-Ganga Nagar highways, Mohali Sirhind highways, Malout, Jalandhar and Patiala bye pass and other related road projects.
The memo said that the nature of acquisition will create problems for the irrigation of large portions of the adjoining lands and will also affect the natural drainage of rain water which may cause flooding in the area later on.
“The Punjab government is doing great injustice with the farmers by acquiring this land on average collector rate which is below the market rates. Secondly, no uniform policy is being followed by land at different places”.
The memo further noted that the aggrieved farmers were protesting for their rights in a peaceful and democratic manner for months but had been met with complete apathy by the Congress government.
The memo urged the Governor to ask the Government to formulate a pro farmers uniform land acquisition policy on the lines of the one followed during the S. Parkash Singh Badal led government.
“ The Memo demands that the state government be directed to pay market price instead of collector rate plus multiplier factor. In addition 100% solatium must be given as per the demands raised by the affected farmers.”It also demanded that
service lanes be created for the movement of farmers to their fields.