Over two thousand farmers will be protesting in Mumbai on July 26 against Maharashtra government acquiring their land for pittance to pave way for Jalna – Nanded Expressway.
Govt provided 20% less compensation: MRKS Secretary
“The government has done injustice to Marathwada farmers by providing 20% lesser compensation than the ready reckoner rate while determining compensation. Due to this, as compared to the Mumbai – Nagpur Expressway, the compensatory pay out to Marathwada farmers is being reduced even more,” said Comrade Rajan Kshirsagar, General Secretary, Maharashtra Rajya Kisan Sabha.
Detailing out about the flaws in regulation, he said that the government is using Maharashtra Highways Act, 1955 to acquire land from the farmers, which was taken from the repressive British Act of 1894.
2,200 hectares of land to be acquired by govt
Around 2,200 hectares of land is to be acquired by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation to build 179.85 km long Jalna – Nanded Expressway. The estimated project cost is Rs 14,500 crore. The alignment passes through 87 villages.
“Additionally, when Maharashtra Highways Act, 1955 was enacted and for decades thereafter the concept of Expressways was alien to India. All the roads and highways had democratic participation of the population right from a bullock cart used by a farmer to a cyclist and passenger vehicles, buses and trucks. On the Expressways, only a certain category of population are permitted to use them. Moreover, the government is earning revenue from the optic fibre cables, gas pipelines, other utilities companies, tourism, commercial establishments, etc. that are laid along the Expressway. However, the farmers on whose land these facilities are coming up are being given a raw deal,” said Com. Kshirsagar.
Farmers to register protest with CM Shinde, Minister Bhuse
They intend to register their protest with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Public Works Department Minister Dadaji Bhuse on how the government’s policies are anti-farmer and for the benefit of the corporates. About 2,000 farmers from the areas of Parbhani, Jalna and Nanded will congregate at Azad Maidan.
“Today, road development is a corporate business and a major income source for the private companies. As compared to earlier, when there would be no toll to use a highway, now, toll is collected and yet outdated law is used to acquire land. We want the government to pay fair compensation to the farmers as per the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and the land under the project be registered as horticulture as per the provisions of the Irrigation Act, 1976,” demanded Com. Kshirsagar.
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