Srinagar Ring Road project is depriving farmers of their livelihood
Published on: 11 November 2024, 10:24 am
Despite the abrogation of Article 370, the government in Jammu and Kashmir, instead of applying the central law on land acquisition, continues to apply outdated rates to assess the compensation due to farmers while expropriating their orchards. RAJA MUZAFFAR BHAT writes about the situation on ground and his recent interaction with the Union Home Minister.
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IN February this year, I had written a piece in this publication titled "Life after Article 370: Orchards of Distress". In the article, I highlighted how vague assessments were being made regarding the compensation due to the fruit growers of Kashmir, by authorities in Jammu and Kashmir. The farmers, mainly the apple growers and some plum farmers, whose land falls within the scope of the Srinagar Ring Road project, are in a state of shock, as hundreds of their fruit trees were axed recently in the villages of central Kashmir's Budgam district.
I was under the impression that before axing the trees, the government would, at the minimum, make sure that affected farmers would be compensated as per the existing market rate of the fruit. However, this has not been the case.
From 9 October, 2021 onwards, authorities used motorized saw machines to axe fully grown apple trees that were 20 to 25 years old. Hundreds of trees were chopped down in the Gudsathoo and Budibagh villages located on the outskirts of Budgam town. When the poor apple farmers tried to show resistance, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), along with the District Administration of Budgam, used force to ensure the felling of the trees. The farmers had been paid compensation for these trees back in 2017-2018.
