District admin fixes relief of 60 lakh per acre

Amid farmers’ opposition to acquiring 1,011 acres of farmland in Permude and Kuthethooru villages for the fourth phase expansion of MRPL, the district administration has fixed the price for land being acquired at Rs 60 lakh per acre of land.

The farmers, who attended the meeting convened by Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil, to fix the rate for the land to be acquired on Monday, expressed their displeasure at the meagre amount fixed.

In the beginning of the meeting, the deputy commissioner reportedly told the farmers that as per Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, farmers will get Rs 50 lakh per acre, which the
farmers unanimously opposed.

The farmers said that KIADB special land acquisition officer in the past had promised Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1.20 crore per acre.

The land rate should be fixed based on the promise made in the past, they demanded.

Later, the DC spoke to Department of Industries Secretary over the phone and announced Rs 60 lakh per acre.

The farmers said, “We cultivate crops thrice a year. We will not leave our land if we are paid such a meagre amount.”

The farmers who had agreed to hand over the land purportedly walked out of the meeting.

The fixing of a uniform rate for all kinds of land by the government has not gone down well with the farmers.

When the DC said that uniform rate is fixed for fertile paddy fields and barren hilly ranges, the farmers said, “Even the market value of land varies from place to place depending on its fertility and other factors. Hence uniform rate should not be fixed.”

Farmer leader of Kuthethooru Gregory Patrao said, “The officials in the past had promised a good rate for the land. Now, they are fixing a different rate. We will not leave our fertile land for such a meagre amount.”

The Deputy Commissioner said that Rs 60 lakh per acre has been fixed for MRPL land acquisition. Farmers who agree may take the amount or general award will be given to the rest of the residents, he said.