Faridabad farmers threaten strike

The development of Greater Faridabad is likely to hit a roadblock once again as farmers, whose land was being used for laying of roads and sewer lines, have threatened to begin a hunger strike from Monday in support of their demand for more compensation for their land. Prabhu Razdan reports.

The development of Greater Faridabad is likely to hit a roadblock once again as farmers, whose land was being used for laying of roads and sewer lines, have threatened to begin a hunger strike from Monday in support of their demand for more compensation for their land.

HT Image

The decision followed soon after Arvind Malhan, Estates Officer, Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), Faridabad, announced new rates for land to be acquired in Nehar Par.

The new rates per acre were awarded at Rs 42 lakh, which could go up to about Rs 64.86 lakh (including other costs).

In April 2009, the state government had offered the farmers of Nehar Par about Rs 24 lakh per acre, which farmers rejected outright and launched protests against what they alleged was low compensation.

The farmers had met Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also in this connection then. Hooda had then ordered revision of the compensation package.

However, when officials awarded the fresh compensation, revising it upwards (about Rs 64.86 lakh per acre, including all costs), farmers were up in arms again, demanding compensation at market rate.

It may be mentioned that HUDA officials had recently told HT, "We have refused the new compensation package as we want nothing less than the market rate, which is about Rs 2 crore per acre," Satpal Narwat, Convenor of Kisaan Sangarsh Samiti said, adding, "Farmers will go on a rally hunger strike from Monday."

"The government has increased the compensation by almost three times," Praveen Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Faridabad told Hindustan Times, "There is a limit to everything and the farmers should accept the fresh compensation."

The development of Greater Faridabad has been delayed due to delay in the settlement of compensation to farmers.

The villagers of nineteen villages are against the state government’s decision to acquire their land for development for newly carved sectors in Greater Faridabad.

The land was to be acquired in villages Kherikalla, Batola, Chotikheri, Faridpur, Fajupur, Neemka, Mirzapur, Badoli, Prehladpur, Budena.