Haryana women join protests for green corridor land acquisition payments

Five days after farmers from Jind and Charkhi Dadri sought permission for mercy killing from President Ram Nath Kovind, women have joined the dharna and threatened to stop trains at 29 points in Haryana and water supply from Delhi-Gurugram canal, if their demands are not met by June 27.

Farmers from 25 villages of Jind and Dadri districts are agitating for higher compensation against their land acquired for the green corridor from Ismailabad (Kurukshetra) to Kotputli in Rajasthan.

Ramesh Dalal, a farm leader from Jind, said, “The government and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) are giving us ₹9 lakh per acre for the acquired land but we are demanding ₹1.93 crore per acre. In 2014, the government had acquired land from a Jind village at ₹39.5 lakh per acre and now in the same village, it is offering such a low rate.”

Sunita Phogat, a resident of Charkhi Dadri, said they have joined the dharna to extend their support to the agitating farmers. “The farmers are fighting for their legitimate right but the government is in deep slumber and wants to crush the farmers by acquiring their land at minimum rates. If the government does not solve this issue by June 27, we will stop trains at 29 points and cut off water supply from Gurugram Delhi canal,” she added.

Farmers said they had met Union minister for transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, his deputy VK Singh and Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on June 12 in New Delhi and they assured to revise the compensation but seven days on, no decision has been taken.

First Published: Jun 25, 2019 11:39 IST