Odisha farmers demand higher price for land; hold up work on railway project

Sambad English Bureau Published On : Jan 30, 2015 at 9:55 AM

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Jajpur, Jan 30:

Farmers in Odisha’s Jajpur district have stalled work on the ongoing railway line project between Haridaspur and Paradip alleging discrimination in rates for payment of compensation for their lands acquired by the railways.

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The protesting farmers held a meeting at Nalipur under Barchana block in Jajpur district, which was attended by the president of the state unit of BJP Mahila Morcha Srimantini Jena and several other BJP leaders, on Thursday. Farmers and BJP workers stopped work on the project and demanded appropriate price for their acquired land.

The BJP Mahila Morcha president said that farmers would not withdraw their agitation till they get appropriate price for their land and their other demands are fulfilled.

“The railway line passes through three districts Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur. For the same type of land the government has paid different rates and the difference is glaring. The government has paid Rs 5 lakh in Jajpur district per acre, Rs 25 lakh in Jagatsinghpur and Rs 30 lakh in Polei village in Jajpur district itself. Moreover, the overbridges that are being constructed are so low in height that vehicles carrying straw and jute are unable to pass through them,” said a protesting farmer.

“Land owners who have land that are ten feet apart have got different rates for their lands. May be because of their connections or for some other reasons, they have managed to get higher rates for their land. They should get appropriate price for their land, besides jobs. Work on the project will remain stalled here till the state government and railways jointly decide on it and pay them appropriate price for their lands,” said Jena.

The local tehsildar, however, has said that since the farmers have got their payments, their agitation is illegal.

“They have taken their money; nothing is legally due to them. If they are dissatisfied they can move the courts. They are resisting a national project which they should not do. It is leading to law and order situation. We are requesting them to desist from it,” he said.