The farmers whose land is going to be acquired for Srinagar semi-ring road on Wednesday held a protest demanding ‘fair compensation’ for their land.
The aggrieved land owners from different Kashmir districts assembled here at a Press Enclave under the banner of Semi-Ring Road Land Owners Welfare Committee.
The protesting farmers threatened to shift to their fields along with their families and disallow any move to acquire the land if the government tries to acquire the land without giving them adequate compensation.
The protesters also raised anti-government slogans.
“The National highway Authority of India (NHAI) pays adequate compensation to the farmers and other persons whose land and property is acquired for construction of highways in other states of country. Four times in rural areas and two times in urban areas, but in J&K as Right to Fair Compensation under Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (RFCLARR Act 2013) enacted by GoI in 20134 is not applicable in our state,” said Raja Muzaffar Bhat, the committee’s convener.
He said the farmers’ land is being forcibly occupied by NHAI .
“NHAI is also not ready for private negotiation which is a provision in J&K Land Acquisition Rules.”
An alternate road link is coming up in the next few years connecting outer Pampore highway with Manigam – Ganderbal via Wathoora Chadoora -Budgam , Soibugh and Narbal, Sumbal , Lar and Ganderbal.
This Semi Ring road project is around 60 KM long starts from Gallandar Pampore and ends at Manigam in Ganderbal.
Hundreds of kanals of agriculture land will be acquired in Pulwama, Budgam, some parts of Baramulla, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts.