Agitating farmers carry out march after JDA resumes work

JAIPUR: Around 5,000 farmers opposing the ring road project under the banner of Ring Road Sangarsh Samiti completed the 47 km kilometre march on Sunday at Balawala village on Sunday.
The march was started after JDA along with Sanjosh Supreme started the work from Nevta Dadiya village on Wednesday.
Virendra Katewa, Samiti secretary, said, "The march was started after JDA started the work without fulfilling the farmers' demands.The march is to seek support of and motivate farmers to not give possession of their land till there is any agreement." He added, "We are happy with the farmers' response as most affected farmers participated."
In a bid to push the development projects in the state, the government is all set to bring in the policy of land acquisition and rehabilitation. "We will only accept compensation according to LARR 2011 Bill," Katewa said.
As the policy will be applicable only to future projects, protesting farmers want the policy to cover them so they get the compensation accordingly."
"Since the policy will apply only to upcoming projects and will not benefit us, it is just a ploy to deceive innocent farmers," Badriprasad, an agitating farmer, said.
"In other states, governments have included ongoing projects also in the policy, why can't the same be done here," Badriprasad asserted.
However, there are many farmers who are not very happy with the new state policy. The solatium amount is a bone of contention with the state agreeing to pay 30% against the Centre's proposal for 100%. Solatium stands for compensation for injured feelings apart from financial loss or physical suffering. This apart, the Centre's LARR bill has provisions for employment of affected families.
The state government officials, however, seem unaffected and are geared up for implementing the policy here before January 2012. "Ours is a policy and not an act and it will enable the state government to acquire land for development of projects and provide desirable compensation to farmers. If LARR bill 2011 becomes an act, all the state governments will have to refer to it as a policy matter for their land acquisitions and rehabilitation. But, in case any state government wants to give better compensation, they will be free to do that with individual policies in place," sources said.