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Punjab: Seeking ‘pending’ dues for highway project, Sangrur farmers begin sit-in
Manjit Singh Gharachon, a local leader of the Bharti Kisan Union (BKU), Ekta Ugrahan, said, “Farmers from Kheri Chandwan, Julan and Santokhpura villages, whose land was acquired for the project, have not received the mandatory interest on their compensation amount. The government must pay ₹6 crore to the affected farmers.”
Farmers have started an indefinite sit-in at Santokhpura village of Sangrur demanding payment of interest on the “delayed” release of compensation for land acquired for the Jammu-Katra-Amritsar highway under the Bharatmala project. Some of them also alleged that they were yet to receive compensation. Claiming that at least ₹6 crore is awaited as interest, the protesters said they won’t allow the road construction work until their demands are met.
Manjit Singh Gharachon, a local leader of the Bharti Kisan Union (BKU), Ekta Ugrahan, said, “Farmers from Kheri Chandwan, Julan and Santokhpura villages, whose land was acquired for the project, have not received the mandatory interest on their compensation amount. The government must pay ₹6 crore to the affected farmers.”
He said that the compensation for the acquired land was paid at the rate of ₹70.50 lakh per acre, affecting around 40 farmers in total. “We have met officials of the district administration many times but to no avail,” he said.
The leader highlighted that farmers of Jhaneri village hadn’t received compensation at all. “Earlier, the district administration persuaded us to call off our protest by promising a solution, but nothing has happened,” he said.
The protesters warned that the work on the road would not be allowed until the government provides a concrete solution and deposits the full compensation, including interest, into the farmers’ accounts. Sangrur deputy commissioner Rahul Chaba and additional deputy commissioner Amit Bambi were unavailable for comments.
When contacted, sub-divisional magistrate Charanjot Singh Walia said the compensation has already been provided to the farmers. “They are demanding interest which is to be paid by the National Highways Authority of India. We have already written to them,” the SDM said.
The four-lane (expandable to eight lanes) Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway is an under-construction 670-km project which will connect Bahadurgarh near Delhi with Katra in Jammu and Kashmir via Haryana and Punjab. The Union ministry of road transport and highways has planned to construct 10 expressways in the country under the Bharatmala Pariyojana.
