THEIR HUNGER strike has left the district administration unmoved. No district or health officials came to listen to the woes of three dozen villagers who are demanding compensation for acquisition of their land on Jail Bypass road.
No political party has extended support to their demands and no non-government organisation has rallied round them. Villagers, including the aged, the youth and women, are on hunger strike at the district magistrate’s office since May 17.
Many of the villagers, especially the aged, looked frail after observing the hunger strike for 24 hours. Kisan Morcha Samiti president Mohammad Afroz and Baburam said their land was acquired by the administration in 1998 for construction of a bypass. They had been demanding compensation since then, but the government had turned a deaf ear to the pleas.
Mohammad Afroz alias Gabbar said on March 31, 2006, the State Government had allocated Rs 4.95 crore for payment of the compensation and 20 per cent of the amount had been credited to the district administration’s account, but administration had not taken any initiative to distribute it.
Gabbar said, “We have handed over a memorandum to the district administration and given them 21 days to fulfil the demands, but the administration failed to take any initiative. Therefore, we have gone on hunger strike.”
Gabbar said, “We have handed over a memorandum to the district administration and given them 21 days to fulfil the demands, but the administration failed to take any initiative. Therefore, we have gone on hunger strike.”