Pampore-Manigam road: Land owners protest for higher compensation

Srinagar: The farmers providing land for Pampore-Manigam semi-ring road on Wednesday demanded a higher compensation.

Staging a protest here, the farmers from parts of the valley threatened to shift to their fields if their demand was not met.

They said their land was their only source of income.

“We would shift to our fields if we do not get adequate compensation. The Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013, implemented in other parts of the country, shall be extended to Kashmir to ensure fair compensation,” said Abdul Rashid, a protesting land owner from Chadoora, Budgam.

Issaq Dar of Pampore added: “The rates offered to us are too low. We have been earning our livelihood from agriculture. If we do not get enough compensation, we will be pushed to the wall.”

The protesters said they fail to understand as to why the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) was not paying “an adequate compensation” to them.

“The farmers in other parts of the country are getting reasonable compensation. If they can, why cannot we. Our land is being occupied forcibly. NHAI is not ready for private negotiation, a provision in J&K Land Acquisition Rules,” a protester said.

The 60-km road is coming up as an alternate road link between Pampore in south to Manigam in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, crossing through Budgam.