Farmers' stir in Rajasthan: Health of protester buried neck-deep in ground deteriorates

Jaipur, Jan 9 (PTI) The health of one of the five farmers who buried themselves neck-deep in the ground over the alleged land acquisition by the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) for a housing project deteriorated on Thursday but he refused to leave the protest site at Nindar village.

Demanding that their land be acquired as per the revised Land Acquisition Act and compensation be given accordingly, farmers from the village located on the outskirts of Jaipur are holding 'Zameen Samadhi Satyagrah'.

As part of the protest, five people have taken 'Zameen Samadhi' (burying themselves neck-deep in the ground) in the last two days.

"Health of one of the protesters deteriorated but an officer of the JDA today met us. We have apprised him of our demands. He has asked one-day for giving the reply," Nagendra Singh Shekhawat, a leader of Nindar Bachao Yuva Kisan Sangarsh Samiti, said.

"We will continue to hold satyagrah and more people will take 'Zameen Samadhi' till the reply from the JDA comes. If the response is positive then our dialogue with the government will proceed," he said.

Protesters are demanding that state government should implement the amended Land Acquisition Act in the state, which was passed by the Congress government at the Centre and acquire the land as per it.

Shekhawat said farmers will not let the government acquire the land as per the previous Land Acquisition Act, which was running in the country since British rule.

The Jaipur Development Authority, in a statement, had said that it would issue allotment letters to farmers affected due to the Nindar Housing Scheme with mutual understanding.

Deputy Commissioner Manish Fauzdar said those farmers who have surrendered their land for the housing scheme will soon be issued allotment letters and those who have not yet surrendered their land will be issued letters with mutual consent.

The farmers had launched a similar protest in October 2017 and some of them had even gone on a hunger strike.

The protesters are against the acquisition of more than 1,300 bighas of land for a housing project.

The JDA has taken possession of 600 bighas of land so far and deposited Rs 60 crore in a local court as compensation for it after villagers refused to accept the amount, claiming it did not hold up to the prevailing market rates.

Around 10,000 houses will be built under the scheme, which was announced in January 2011.