Delhi Gramin Samaj reports Victims of the land acquisition

Delhi Gramin Samaj reports Victims of the land acquisition

Delhi Gramin Samaj is a welfare organisation working for the villages of Delhi -  Who have been victims of the land acquisition and been neglected in all matters of Development. The injustice is known to all and well documented yet the policy of double speak continues; the Tejendra Khanna Committe Report ਃurrent Lt Governor of Delhi) on Page 52 brings out

঱uot; The farmers of Delhi whose agricultural lands were acquired have, in general, been put to a great disadvantage. Firstly their lands were acquired for a pittance, at the rate of about Rs.3000 per Acre in 1957. Subsequently in 1966-68, the acquisition rates were revised to between Rs.25,000 to Rs.30,000 per acre. The per acre rates was raised to Rs.5 lacs in 1981 to Rs.8 lacs in 1993, to Rs.16 lacs in 1998, and to Rs.24 lacs in the year 2004".༯i>Even today fat in Delhi is at par with costliest real estate in the world but compensation to farmers is only 53 Lac per acre, less than Noida and Gurgaon. The government of Delhi has no rehabilitation policy for the farmers whose land was acquired for development.

Under the provision of the Delhi Land Reform Act 1954, the landless poor backward communities families of the villages of Delhi were allotted land for construction of houses. This was carried out with much fanfare under the 20 point programme as well. Villagers of Bharthal, Rangpuri, Chattarpur, Bamnoli and numerous villages have however been waiting to take pocession of their land.Large number of the allottees have died without seeing their plot of land. 173 familes of Rangpuri village in South Delhi have been carrying on their struggle for past 30 years. Shri Naryan Singh a Dalit of the village has been running from pillar to post to seek justice.

Delhi legislative assembly, house committee -under the Chairmanship of Shri Mukesh Sharma, current parliamentary secretary to the Chief Minister of Delhi, formed following a resolution on the issue to consider the issues relating to allotment of land under the 20 point programme presented its report on 26  November 2002. Elaborate instructions on the subject are mentioned in the report of the committee.༯p>

A "Dalit Mahapanchayat'',  was also held on 12 May 2001 held under the leadership of former Congress(I) MLA, Mr. Jaikishan, at Sultanpur Mazra village in the Outer Delhi constituency, it lambasted the BJP-led Government at the Centre for its  anti-Dalit socio-economic policies.Addressing the gathering the AICC's SC/ST and Backwards Cell chairman, Mr. G. Venktaswami, had said that  he would talk to the Delhi Chief Minister, Ms. Sheila Dikshit, and take up the issues related to the needs and requirement of Dalits and poor farmers. Then Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Dr. Yoganand Shastri had voiced protest that no land had been allotted to the farmers and people of the weaker sections and land of the poor farmers is being forcibly taken away without any or meager compensation.

Chief minister Smt Shiela Dikhsit herself as per reports published by PTI on May 21, 2012,࠭ade a statement that it has been decided to regularize plots of land allotted under '20-point' programme in early 1980s, by granting them free hold rights.༯p>

Yet despite the Delhi High Court order for handing over possession of the plots to the villagers the Delhi government, Land and building department took no step for implementation of the order instead the government of Delhi appealed in the Supreme Court. This act illustrates the double speak and betrayal of the poor by the government, it is a policy which is being followed especially in matters of land acquisition and development..༯p>

The Supreme Court in its order has imposed a Fine of Rs Two Lac Fifty Thousand on Government of Delhi for indulging in Frivolous litigation in a matter concerning the landless poor of the backward communities. (Copy of the Judgement Attached for reference)

Regards

Col Devinder Sehrawat

Secretary

Delhi Gramin Samaj