Ring Road Row: High-level panel to decide compensation on March 22
TNN Bureau. Updated: 3/16/2018 11:12:11 AM
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DEEPAK KHAJURIA
JAMMU: The State Government is slated to hold on March 22 the much awaited meeting of the Revenue department on the important issue of land compensation to the farmers affected due to the construction of semi ring roads around Jammu and Srinagar city.
The official sources told the News Now that Revenue Minister, A R Veeri will chair the meeting on March 22, wherein BJP MLA Choudhary Sukhnandan Kumar will represent the issues of farmers. The Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Revenue Officials, and concerned Deputy Commissioners, besides the legislators whose constituencies are affected with the Ring Road project will also participate in the meeting.
It is worth mentioning that the issue of compensation on lesser rates was raised strongly during Budget Session 2018 by BJP MLA Choudhary Sukhnandan. The MLA Marh also staged protest demanding compensation to the farmers.
“I will put forward my case strongly as this is a genuine case concerning rights of my farmers,” Sukhnandan said and added that many farmers have also approached Court for the same, but if government agrees to their demands, the farmers will allow the work of ring road to pursue.
It may be mentioned here that the work of the semi ring roads around Jammu and Srinagar Cities have been stopped due to finalization of the compensation rates to the farmers. A total of 11528 farmers are going to be affected due to the construction of these Semi Ring Roads.
According to state government, the compensation is being paid to the farmers in lieu of their land coming under the provision of J&K Land Acquisation Act. The rates are assessed for payment by the collectors as per the guidelines under section 23 of the act as well as taking into consideration the stamp duty rates fixed by the competent authority and market rates of agriculture land equivalent to stamp duty.
The farmers, however, alleged that the rates given to them are much less and also not at par with the rates in Srinagar.