Loot of our water resources by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) from last several decades is an established fact. From 2001 to 2018, NHPC has earned approximately Rs 20,000 Crores of revenue from around 7 hydroelectric projects across Jammu & Kashmir. People of J&K have been asking for legitimate royalty from NHPC, but the authentic reports say that during 23 years (from 1993 to 2015) NHPC has provided 17,659 million units of electricity to our state as royalty which is equivalent to mere Rs 3,314 crores or Rs 144 crore a year. On the other hand NHPC is earning 11 times more revenue than what it gives to us. Successive Governments have failed to take Govt of India into confidence over NHPC issue. As our fight against role of NHPC continues another autonomous institution of Government of namely India National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has also been given permission from last 5 years to loot our resources ie Agricultural land , Forest land , apple orchards , irrigation canals , Karewas , Kah Charai and state land under the garb of state’s development. In return inadequate and paltry compensation is paid to the affected people particularly the farmers.
Construction of new highways
I have been writing on the issue of forcible land acquisition in Jammu & Kashmir from 2013 when Govt of India enacted new Land Acquisition Act which is not applicable to J&K state. Since the land acquisition process for Semi Ring Road projects in Kashmir valley and Jammu began last year, I have written around 8 articles on the subject in several newspapers / magazines . Farmers from Kashmir valley and Jammu region are struggling to get their legitimate rights. Several protests have been held in Srinagar , Budgam , Ganderbal , Jammu , Kathua and Samba. More than 700 acres of agricultural (approximately 5500 kanals) land is going to be acquired within a few months in three districts of Jammu region ie Kathua , Samba and Jammu . In Kashmir valley around 1000 acres of land (8000 kanals) has almost been acquired in Pulwama , Budgam, Srinagar, Baramulla , Bandipora and Ganderbal districts. The collectors of Revenue Department in different districts have even started disbursement of compensation, but affected farmers are reluctant to accept the scanty compensation. The horticulture land owners in Budgam , Srinagar , Ganderbal and Bandipora have been paid compensation for fruit trees. The majority of the estimates prepared by Horticulture department are vague and insubstantial. A 25 year old plum tree in Wathoora Budgam that fetches 30 to 40 boxes of fruit (15 kg box) , has been shown fetching one box of 15 kgs only. In Check Razaq Khan and Ranbir Grah area of Shalteng tehsil of Srinagar apple trees who are 15 to 25 years of age will get mere Rs 5000 to Rs 8000 compensation per tree while as same kind of trees can get Rs 30,000 to 40,000 compensation. Rates has been estimated @ Rs 16 / Kg for apple and Rs 13 / Kg of Plum which is a 23 year old rate formulated by Horticulture Department way back in 1995. A committee was constituted by Government to revise the rates, but farmers who have been compensated have not been compensated as per the revised rates.
Conclusion
Only a few days back State Government handed over the proposed land to National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in Kashmir valley. The NHAI has again allotted the contract to RAMKY Infrastructure Ltd which has always been in news for delaying the widening of Qazigund- Srinagar road. I am shocked the way Government is treating its people especially the farmers ? Instead of coming to rescue of its people or pleading their case , Government is mounting pressure on Revenue Department officials , collectors and District Magistrates to forcibly acquire land and to handover the same to NHAI. Where shall these landless farmers go ? They can’t even purchase new land for such a meager compensation as the land rates have gone too high in the areas near proposed highway. The affected families especially the farmers will have to shift to some remote areas in search of livelihood. One vegetable grower Fayaz Ahmad in Chadoora tehsil told me that he will lose his livelihood as Govt will acquire his 5 kanals of agriculture land. He will be paid @ Rs 30 lakhs / kanal but he can’t buy new land in the area which now costs Rs 50 to 60 lakhs / kanal. Fayaz will be forced to buy land in some upper reaches of Chadoora tehsil but that won’t be a perfect land for vegetable cultivation ? His family can’t travel to that particular place regularly to help Fayaz ? This is not the case of Fayaz only , but there are hundreds of such people who will be effected one way or the other. Government impresses upon people to focus on agriculture and horticulture and claims this sector to be backbone of our economy , but on the other hand makes its people landless by forcibly acquiring their land. If NHAI gives 4 times more compensation to farmers in other states, why deny it in J&K ? Why can’t J&K Govt enact a new Land Acquisition Law that will benefit people ? Why are we continuously surrendering our resources to NHAI or NHPC ? Having mere 32 % Agriculture land availability, it was the duty of Government to protect it, but instead of doing so , our precious land is sold to NHAI for a paltry compensation. On the other hand barren , unirrigated lands in Rajasthan , MP , Odhisa and other states are sold 4 times more than the market value of land to NHAI plus the affected people are rehabilitated and resettled as well.