Northern Patiala bypass: Farmers up in arms over ‘meagre’ compensation

Farmers alleged that the compensation offered is too meagre, much less than the market trends and have urged all farm unions to come to their support on the matter.

Farmers from at least 24 villages of Patiala district have opposed the acquisition of more than 300 acres of agricultural land for the construction of the Northern Patiala Bypass and have served a one-week ultimatum to the government to take corrective measures or face agitation.

Farmers alleged that the compensation offered is too meagre, much less than the market trends and have urged all farm unions to come to their support on the matter.

Farmers alleged that the compensation offered is too meagre, much less than the market trends and have urged all farm unions to come to their support on the matter. The bypass is part of the national highway development project part of National Highway 7 from Rajpura to Bathinda. Farmers alleged that the state government is pushing for minimum compensation for the reason that 50% of the land acquisition cost is to be borne by the state government.

According to Sukham Singh, a farmer from Daun Kalan, the matter was taken up with Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who clarified that 50% compensation is to be given by the state government. He added that in 2011, the land was acquired for ₹4.62 crore per acre by Torrent Power, and at ₹5 crore per acre by Reliance Industries. “ ₹2.8 crore per acre was offered in 2016 for Southern Patiala bypass, so why the rates has been reduced now,” he asked.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, a group of farmers said the project was approved in October 2021. The process for land acquisition started a month later, and farmers were debarred from selling their land chunks. Subsequently, a section of farmers moved the Punjab and Haryana high court, and the court ordered for re-initiation of the project.

Farmers in villages Rongla, Jahlan, Wazidpur, Kalyan, Inderpura, Lachkani, Daun Khurd, Bibipur, Daun Kalan, Jassowal, Sidhuwal Chamarheri and Dhareri Jattan are claiming higher compensation for the land acquired for the 27km-long bypass.

According to Patiala DC Showkat Ahmad Parray, the compensation by the district revenue officer has been fixed as per the government norms and it is more than what was offered in the past.

“The compensation is being given keeping in view the development potential of the land, under the principle of equity and justice,” he said, adding that for fixing compensation sale deeds and trends of three years before the start of the acquisition process were taken into account. The DC added that sale agreements registered a week ahead of the start of the acquisition process cannot be taken into account as those deeds were never concluded.