Srinagar: For holding up the pleas of farmers seeking fair compensation against their land being acquired for Semi Ring Road Project, the deputy commissioner Budgam has been asked by the High Court to appear personally on the next date of hearing along with relevant records.
The court granted the concerned administrative machinery of the union territory administration the “last and final opportunity” (of six weeks) for filing objections to farmers plea seeking better compensation in lieu of their land demarcated for the prestigious road project around the city.
The crucial Semi Ring Road Project is supposed to provide an alternative to the existing over congested Bypass Road from Pantha Chowk to Parimpora. The 62-kilometre Ring Road project shall connect Pulwama and Ganderbal districts via Budgam and western peripheries of Srinagar.
Almost 800 central laws have been extended to Jammu and Kashmir after taking away its autonomy and converting it in to a union territory in 2019. However the farmers whose land has been acquired for the Semi Ring Road Project have been kept away from the benign arch of the land acquisition Act of the government of India.
Nearly 4730 kanals of agricultural land shall be required for the project and Budgam shall be the most affected where 3661 kanals of cultivable land shall be permanently lost to it.
Although the local executive machinery has been prompt in implementing the government of India laws post the 05 August 2019, they have exhibited a thick skin in applying the laws as shall help the local populace. Budgam is proving to be a typical example of this empathic attitude, said a farmer form the area.
The farmers as a last resort have sought judicial intervention and prayed for fair and adequate compensation for the land under the central law which guarantee better award.
The farmers pleaded that they are entitled to compensation under the Right to Fair Compensation & Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. They prayed for initiation of fresh acquisition proceedings as per the central law.
Hearing a cluster of petitions pertaining to the matter a division bench of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Justice Mohammad Akram Chowdhary ordered personal appearance of Deputy Commissioner Budgam along with the relevant records on next date of hearing on 10th of March if the objections were not filed during the allotted time.
“Interim direction, if any, subsisting as on date, shall continue to remain operational till the next date of hearing before the bench,” said the division bench.
Interestingly Government of India has allocated Rs 658 crore additional funds for the multi-crore Semi Ring Road project in Kashmir. The money has been allocated after little progress was reported in the project due to hassles in land acquisition. The additional money 658.41 crore has been approved for land acquisition.
