Early Times Report
Srinagar, May 22: At a time when Apple or Mango is sold @ Rs 100 / kg in market , the department of Horticulture is paying them mere Rs 16 / Kg while preparing estimates for compensation in lieu of fruit bearing trees who are to be cut down during land acquisition process. The farmers in Jammu and Kashmir whose land comes under new Ring Road project are not only aghast against the Government for paying them meager compensation but farmers whose fruit bearing trees are to be axed feel humiliated as the compensation being paid to them is very meager.
The land owners whose land is to be acquired by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for construction of ring and semi ring roads in Jammu / Kashmir regions are not only aghast against the Government for being paid very less compensation, but the affected people whose fruit trees and orchards are to be cut down feels deprived as the compensation paid in lieu of these fruit bearing trees has not been revised from last 23 years. Details available with Early Times reveal that Government pays compensation @ Rs 16 per kg for apple tree / Mango which is to be cut down and the assessment is made by Horticulture Department. The total fruit bearing capacity of the trees is also vaguely estimated allege apple and mango farmers in Jammu and Kashmir regions
"Good quality Apple or Mango sells @ Rs 90 to 100 /Kg in retail market and it is sheer injustice with us if we are paid mere Rs 16 / Kg for the same. For Plum fruit rate fixed is Rs 13 while as for walnut mere Rs 102 / kg is provided. We had met with Horticulture Minister Basharat Bukhari last year but nothing has happened till date and rates remain unrevised till date "said Bashir Ahmad whose fully grown 59 apple trees would be axed during the land acquisition process in Budgam district
"Assessment is made in number of kgs of fruit each tree fetches, but these estimates are also vaguly prepared by officials of Horticulture Dept. When the rates are estimated it is Rs 13 or Rs 16 / kg which is highly shameful act. We want Govt to revise the rates as soon as possible" said Manjeet Singh another farmer of R S Pura. As reported already dozens of Mango , Apple , Plum orchards from Kathua to Ganderbal are to be axed during Ring Road projects in Jammu and Kashmir divisions within a few months, but authorities are not at all listening to farmers woes.
The land owners from several districts of Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, Budgam, Pulwama, Ganderbal, Bandipora have already joined hands and created a state level committee named J&K Ring Road Land Owners Welfare Committee. The aim of forming this state wide committee was to impress upon the Government to pay affected villagers / farmers fair compensation during the acquisition process. The committee has made it clear to the authorities including CM, Deputy CM, Revenue and PWD Minister that they won't take any compensation from Government as per the prescribed rate by Government. The committee is demanding that they should be paid 4 times more compensation than the actual market value of land and other movable and immovable property.
The villagers from dozens of villages in Kathua, Samba, Miran Sahib, Marh, Kot Balwal, Jagti, Nagrota, Udhampur, Budgam, Pulwama, Bandipora, Ganderbal are up in arms against the authorities as they are demanding fair compensation for the proposed land acquisition which will be undertaken in the upcoming months . The proposed highway is said to be very crucial as this will reduce the traffic by 50 % on the existing Pampore -Nowgam - Parimpora bypass and Kathua - Jammu -Udhampur road as well. |
