Himachal: Land acquisition dispute, farmers demand four times compensation
Himachal Pradesh: Farmers and landowners under the banner of Tehsil Baddi Jan Kalyan Sabha, a group of people displaced from various projects, took out a protest rally in Baddi on Wednesday and demanded higher compensation for their acquired land. Raising slogans against the government, the protesters accused it of failing to protect their interests. They demanded proper compensation for the land acquired for the Baddi railway line, Baddi-Nalagarh four-lane and power-related development projects. A memorandum detailing their grievances was sent to the DC, SDM and SP of Solan through the Naib Tehsildar. Led by Sabha president Nambardar Charandas, the rally started from Shiv Mandir in Lower Sandoli and moved towards the tehsil office. The protesters warned that their agitation would spread across the state if the demands were ignored.
Charandas alleged that when land was acquired for railway and road projects, farmers were promised compensation four times the prevailing rate, but only the prevailing rates were paid. Earlier, the farmers had also halted railway construction to press for their demands. The intervention of the DC and the local MLA had raised hopes, but despite a favourable ruling from the Himachal Pradesh High Court, the government got a stay from the Supreme Court. The protesters demanded that the stay be lifted. With crops damaged by incessant rains, the farmers said they were already in dire financial straits. Leader of the agitation Sanjeev Kumar warned that they would intensify the agitation if their demands were not met. He also criticised the restrictive building norms of the Town and Country Planning Department and said these added to their woes and should not be applied to them. Many farmers now have limited livelihood options, as they have lost their land and have not received the promised compensation, leaving them dependent on the government’s response.
