Punjab: Wheat crop standing over 100 acres being razed for AAP govt’s swearing-in

Punjab government is paying ₹46,000 per acre as compensation to the farmers whose wheat crop in being razed for the event

Wheat crop standing over 100 acres of agricultural land is being removed just ahead of harvesting in order to create space for the oath-taking ceremony of the new Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government at Khatkar Kalan village in Punjab’s SBS Nagar district on March 16.

Workers were busy cutting the wheat crop, two days ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the AAP government at Khatkar Kalan in SBS Nagar, Punjab. (HT Photo)

Workers were busy cutting the crop and clear the fields on Monday, two days ahead of the ceremony during which Bhagwant Mann will be sworn in as the Punjab chief minister at freedom fighter Bhagat Singh’s ancestral village.

A Venu Prasad, additional chief secretary to Punjab government, said that 4-5 lakh people are expected at the event. “The venue will be spread across 100 acres — 50 acres for the main event and 50 acres for parking,” he said.

In lieu of the cleared crop, the government is paying ₹46,000 per acre as compensation to the farmers, confirmed Satnam Singh, husband of Khatkar Kalan village sarpanch Kulwinder Kaur. “The process for acquiring the land for the event is underway, and we are sitting with revenue officials to prepare documents for the compensation being awarded,” he said.

School holiday in district

SBS Nagar deputy commissioner Vishesh Sarangal declared holiday for all schools in the district on March 16. The order reads that the newly elected government will take oath at Khatkar Kalan village on March 16, where a large number of VVIPs and around 4 lakh people are expected to turn up.

To ensure the students attending schools do not face any problem and to maintain law and order and avoid any mishap, a one-day holiday has been declared for all government and private schools in the district, it further stated.

Meanwhile, Punjab chief secretary Anirudh Tiwari, director general of police VK Bhawra and A Venu Prasad on Monday fine-tuned arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony. Chairing a meeting in Jalandhar, they said befitting arrangements are to be made for the event in which lakhs of people are expected to take part. They said that apart from smooth movement of the traffic, major thrust will be laid on ensuring that people coming to the function do not face any problem.