Jammu, Feb 05: Criticizing the government for paying a meagre amount as compensation to the farmers for their land acquired by it for various purposes, CPI (M) leader and MLA Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami Monday urged the authorities to pay the suitable compensation to those whose land has been or is to be acquired.
“Acquisition of lands for public utility purposes is always welcome. But the government must provide adequate compensation for the lands taken for various purposes. Land holding is the only sources of income for farmers,” Tarigami said in a statement.
He said in most cases, the government pays one-fourth of the actual cost of the land to the farmers which is sheer injustice with poor peasants. “Government should not play cruel joke with the plight of the farmers by paying them peanuts for the precious and fertile land.”
Quoting the example of Ring Road in Budgam-Srinagar and Jammu, he said, the fertile land is being taken away from the farmers for the projects and in return “they are being paid peanuts”.
“Thousands of kanals of productive land of the farmers in these areas is under acquisition and the farmers have been agitating for payment of adequate compensation and rehabilitation plan,” he said.
Everybody makes statements on the plight of farmers, but it seems nobody is bothered about their plight. Farming community is already facing the brunt of government’s apathy and this will add to their sufferings, he said.
The answer by the government to the calling attention motion submitted in the Legislative Assembly today, is not satisfactory, Tarigami said.
He said the farmers are being forced by the authorities for “distress sale of their precious land which is highly condemnable. If the government fails to take measure to suitably compensate the farmers, they would be forced to choose the path of agitation.”
