‘Farmers should get fair compensation for land to govt’
SHIMLA: Kargil war hero Brigadier Khushal Singh Thakur, who has been leading agitation against the government for the last three years against the low compensation being paid to farmers by the government for land acquired for four-laning, demanded early resolution to the problem.
Thakur heads a joint action committee of affected farmers.
There are nearly 10,000 farmers along the Kiratpur-Manali highway from Nagchala to Manali.
The famers along the MandiManali highway are up in arms against government for not being paid compensation in accordance with the right to fair compensation and Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013.
Thakur, who commanded the 18 Grenadiers during the Kargil conflict in 1999, leading 18 Grenadiers to recapture the Tiger Hill, from Pakistani forces, went on to be a part of Operation Khukri in Sierra Leone, in 2000.
The committee during the past four years have held four rounds of talks with representatives of government demanding payment of compensation in accordance with factor two, three and four of the Land Acquisition Act.
Sangarsh samiti president Khushal said, “The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is paying the amount according to the circle rates, which were decided in 2014, whereas rates of the land should be estimated and paid with 2018 circle rates, which are almost double than those in 2014.”
Farmers are being offered much lesser compensation in violation of the act, said Thakur, adding that farmers are being paid average market price for the land if ₹6 to 8 lakh per bighas of land on the road stretch between Mandi and Manali while the farmers are being paid price ranging from ₹23,000 to ₹2 lakh per bighas of land.
Thakur said the four lane sangrash samiti had held three rounds of the talk with revenue officials during the Congress regime .
“The Congress government was insensitive towards the demand of the farmers for genuine compensation,” he said.
He said the BJP government will find amicable solution to farmers grouse.
“Not only the Manali- Kiratpur highway but also the discriminatory attitude will impact farmers and land holders along all the new 70 highways proposed by the government across the state,” said Thakur.