Farmers Movement Archive

Delhi-Katra eway: Farmers to join Delhi border protest

PATIALA: Hundreds of farmers protesting against the process of land acquisition for national highways, including Delhi-Katra Expressway in Punjab, will join the inter-state protest near Tikri border, where farmers from different states are protesting under the banner of Bharat Bhumi Bachao Sangharsh Committee against some upcoming national highways. Farmers from Punjab, who had joined the protest last month at Tikri, will join the inter-state protest near Tikri border on Sunday. In Punjab, a large number of farmers under Delhi Katra Expressway Kisan Sangharh Committee (DKEKSC) are protesting against land acquisition for Delhi Amritsar Katra Express Highway as they are not satisfied with the compensation amount, even though the state government announced that compensation would be enhanced. Farmers also want the state government to halt the process of acquisition of NHAI in Punjab till the issue of farm laws was resolved. Harmanpreet Singh Jeji, DKEKSC coordinator, Punjab, said, “On March 21, we will join the interstate protest around 12 km away from Tikri border. “Farmers from Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi are already protesting against land acquisition for National Highways, including Amritsar – Jamnagar (NH 754K), Delhi – Mumbai Expressway (NH 148), National Highway 334 B, National Highway 344 M, National Highway 152 D and for Sonepat – Palwal Orbit railway line. This protest is under the banner of Bharat Bhumi Bachao Sangharh Committee headed by Ramesh Dalal.” According to Jeji, compensation for the land is not adequate. “The compensation was inadequate for our fertile land. It will be around Rs 50 lakh per acre while we are demanding Rs 1.5 crore as minimum compensation for each farmer. Only four years ago, the government had compensated farmers up to Rs 3.5 crore and even more in some cases. Land acquisition for the highways will divide the farmers’ land into two parts. Our land falls under ‘greenfield’ category. Farmers will be ruined after this land acquisition for Delhi-Katra as most of the farmers will have no access to their agricultural land on the other side of the highway, which is 12 feet in height,” he claimed.

The Times of India

2021-03-20

Chandigarh