Shirom Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday asked the Congress government in Punjab to "not cheat farmers" by initiating land acquisition process for the Delhi-Katra expressway project which gives an award of Rs 9.67 lakh per acre.
Expressing shock at this development, the SAD chief said "We will not allow farmers land to be taken away from them for peanuts. The Punjab government must ensure fair awards for acquisition of land for the project. The award of Rs 9.67 lakh per acre for the acquisition of land at Santokhpura village in Sangrur is ridiculous and should be taken back."
"New awards should be announced in keeping with ground realities saying there was unrest among farmers in Sangrur, Mogar, Barnala and Sultanpur Lodhi on account of this," he added.
Badal held the Congress government responsible for the current state of affairs.
"District authorities were passing awards based on the three-year average of collector rates. Since the collector rates have been brought down mfold during the Congress regime, farmers are now suffering on account of this. The government must work around this problem to ensure farmers land is not taken from them at a pittance," he said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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