4 days ago
Punjab farm groups hail high court's decision to stay AAP govt's Land Pooling Policy
Bathinda: Farm organisations have welcomed the decision of the Punjab and Haryana high court to put a temporary stay on the Land Pooling Policy of the Punjab govt for four weeks.
Farm groups said the court should direct the state govt to engage in talks with stakeholders, mainly farmers and landowners, as they did not want to give away their lands.
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"If the govt is serious about the welfare of farmers and does not want to help corporates in collecting land, it should scrap the policy," said leaders of farm organisations.
All India Kisan Federation president Prem Singh Bhangu said the govt should listen to dissenting voices and withdraw it forthwith as it was violative of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
BKU (Ekta Dakaunda) leader Jagmohan Singh said the govt failed to conduct any survey regarding environmental and social impact of the acquisition before issuing the notification. "The notification is silent about the rehabilitation of a vast majority of people other than landowners, like agri workers and artisans, who too will be affected," Jagmohan added.
He said the govt had failed to provide developed plots and commercial sites around Mohali even after many years of certain schemes. "The policy issued by the govt is, in fact, in favour of builders and private developers and against farmers," he added.
Farmers said the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will force the govt to scrap the land pooling policy, or it may have to face protests.
