Told to return compensation, villagers call for poll boycott

Gurgaon: Residents of 75 villages, in a mahapanchayat held in Manesar on Tuesday, threatened to boycott the Lok Sabha polls and decided not to allow parties to campaign in their areas. They are angry with political parties and the state government following a dispute on the enhancement of compensation announced for 1,400 acres of land acquired in four villages to develop phases 2, 3 and 4 of IMT Manesar. The farmers have been told to refund the “excess” compensation amount, which comes around Rs 35 lakh per acre, by the Supreme Court after the government approached it.
However, after the intervention of BJP MLA Bimla Chaudhary, who told them that her party would take up their concerns with CM Manohar Lal Khattar, the villagers relented, but threatened not to participate in Haryana Assembly elections if no action was taken.
In 2003-04, the state government had acquired around 1,400 acres of land in Baskusla, Bashariya, Dhana and Kasan village to develop phases 2, 3 and 4 of IMT Manesar. At that time, the government had given a compensation of Rs 2.25 lakh per acre to farmers. The compensation was challenged by farmers in a Gurgaon court, and in 2011-12 the court enhanced the compensation to Rs 28.15 lakh an acre. It also directed the government to pay difference in the amount.
The farmers then went to the Punjab and Haryana high court and got the compensation increased to Rs 37.4 lakh per acre in 2013. The government was directed to pay the enhanced compensation, following which HSIIDC asked all the allottees, who were given land for setting up industries, to pay the additional amount. The farmers then moved the Supreme Court, which redirected the case to the HC.
Later a private company, which was given 700 out of the 1400 acres, was made a party in the case by the HC. The government and the private company opposed the enhanced compensation, following which the case was referred back to a Gurgaon court to decide the compensation amount. The move was challenged by farmers again in the SC in February 2017, but the court referred the case back to the HC. The high court in its order in March 2018 enhanced the compensation to Rs 41.4 lakh per acre. The order was challenged by the state government in the SC. In February 2019, the SC reduced the compensation from Rs 41.4 lakh per acre to Rs 29.77 lakh per acre and directed farmers to refund the enhanced compensation by June, or pay 9% interest.
Rampal Singh of Kasan village said along with interest, farmers will have to refund Rs 35 lakh per acre. “People have spent the compensation money. They will have to sell their house or commit suicide if they are forced to refund,” Singh said.
“Instead of giving us the additional compensation, they are asking for refund. This is injustice,” said Samandar Pehalwal, a villager.
BJP MLA Bimla Chaudhary, who was present, managed to calm down the villagers by assuring them to take up their case with the CM. “We are with villagers. I have requested them to form a committee. I will fix a meeting with the CM,” said Chaudhary.