The farmers in Chandigarh are a harrassed lot. The administration’s land acquisiton spree has left them hapless. Stories from all over the region are pouring in, how the farming community is at the receiving end of modernisation drive.
Hira Singh, farmer, 80 years old, owns-2 acres in Manimajra, no children and no other means of sustenance, Chandigarh administration has issued notices for acquiring his land for Phase III of Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park (RGCTP).
Similar is the story of another farmer Naib Singh, who owned 7 acres in Makhanmajra of which 3 acres have been acquired by the administration at a price of Rs 6 lakh per acre in 2004 and the rest would soon be acquired for the Medi City project to be set up in the area.
Another horticulturist HS Johl, owns 7 acres in Manimajra which is up for acquisition for Phase III of the RGCTP.
Ajit Singh, farmer, owned 8 acres in Manimajra, land was subsequently acquired by the administration for various projects such that currently he owns only 1.5 acres and the administration plans to acquire his remaining land shortly for expansion of RGCTP
Stories of farmers belonging to villages of Chandigarh and surrounding areas abound who have now taken up cudgels against the antiquated and faulty land acquisition policies of UT Administration. On the eve of the country’s 60th Independence Day, the members of Chandigarh Sanjha Morcha that includes farmers of Mani Majra, Mauli Jagran, Khuda Ali Sher, Kaimbwala, Khuda Jassu, Khuda Lahora, Sarangpur, Dhanas, Makhan Majra, Raipur Kalan, Raipur Khurd, Maloya, Daddu Majra and Dariya and their supporters sat on a day long fast to highlight these issues.
