-The Times of India
Accusing the state government of hatching a conspiracy of rendering them jobless, farmers of 50 villages of Indore district launched their protest against the government. The agitating farmers will gather at Kali Billod here on Friday under one umbrella the 'Kishan Shoshan Virodhi Manch' to intensify their protest where Team Anna member Medha Patkar will join them in the protest against land acquisition.
The farmers are resisting the move by the government and various agencies including Indore Development Authority (IDA) and its housing board and Audhyogik Kendriya Vikas Nigam (AKVN) and the land acquisition policy of the government under various schemes.
The agitating farmers have formed a common forum 'Kishan Shoshan Virodhi Manch' to fight together against the government's move and for saving their fertile agriculture land.
Dilip Singh, convener of the Manch said, "The IDA has acquired farmers' land for three schemes including 151 (super corridor), 169-B super corridor and housing schemes on both sides of the super corridor. Now, when there is no further requirement of development, housing board has again come up with a new scheme at Palakhedi near Indore."
The farmers alleged that AKVN was already in process to acquire 2,000 hectare of land in areas including Pithampur-Betma auto cluster, Kali-Billod, Ranmal Billod, Ambapura and Salampura, which are also fertile farm land.
By acquiring land at Palakhedi, more than 20,000 farmers would become unemployed. According to farmers, IDA housing board and AKVN have already acquired farmers land for their various projects in Tigaria Badshaah, Bhorasala, Khada Bangarda, Bardari, Nanod, Bankh, Lasudia Mori, Rau, Bijalpur, Pipaliyarao, Pipaliyahana, Niranjanpur, Kabeetkhedi, Bicholi Mardana, Tigaria Roa, Kanadia, Jhalaria and Khajrana.
Mohmmad Ijaz, a farmer from Pithampur village said, "Government bodies like IDA acquire farmers' land at low prices and sell the land to the customers at much higher price. Doing this, they have ruined the families of several farmers."
Meanwhile, the farmers have sighted a sigh of relief after chief minister on Wednesday assured the agitating farmers of Pithampur-Betma auto cluster that injustice would not happen with them. He announced that a fresh land survey would be conducted and if it was found to be necessary, then only land would be acquired.
