Farmers stage protest after row over land acquisition

Bathinda: Farmers blocked Malout-Abohar Road on Monday after confusion prevailed over “land acquisition” for a mineral project under the Union mines ministry in three villages of Punjab’s Muktsar district.The immediate provocation was the district administration having failed to clarify the situation.
The district administration has said that there is “no proposal” of land acquisition as of now in Kabarwala, Kattianwala and Sarawa Bodla villages falling under Lambi assembly constituency.
The residents of these villages on Sunday evening met Punjab agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian asking him to direct the district administration to clarify about the proposal of land acquisition.
On Monday, the farmers went to meet Malour SDM seeking clarification but when they found the official on leave, the farmers blocked the road.
Kabarwala ex-sarpanch Swarn Singh said that some time ago the Union mines ministry had conducted surveys in the three villages and found some minerals. Muktsar deputy commissioner HS Sudan said as of now, there is no proposal for land acquisition.
“We have learned that the ministry made a proposal to set up some projects for which the land is to be acquired. We are visiting the officials but the situation has not been clarified,” he said.
Singh added, “We had no plan for protests on Monday but when we failed to meet the officials, we decided to hold a brief protest but if the govt tries to acquire land, we will not allow this to happen.”
Muktsar deputy commissioner HS Sudan said as of now, there is no proposal for land acquisition.
Now the SDM will meet the farmers on Wednesday.