SHIMLA: The agitated Fourlane-affected farmers and shopkeepers from 25 different organisations came under banner of Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti today and raised a strong pitch in one voice before the ministerial level sub-committee of the state government. They demanded that they should be paid four times compensation for the acquired land under Factor-2 and the government should implement the Resettlement and Rehabilitation plan for the affected people at the earliest.
The Sub-committee came under fire from the project affected farmers as it bothered to listen to the long pending grievances of the farmers after a gap of four years.
The ministerial subcommittee headed by Jal Shakti minister Mahendra Singh Thakur, forest minister Rakesh Pathania, education minister Gobind Singh Thakur today hold talks with the projected affected representatives from 25 organisations from the state. Thakur later told media that he would be hold meeting with the officials and would submit recommendations to the state government on the issue of compensation to the project affected people in the state. 
On the other hand, The Land Acquisition affected forum / Fourlane Sayunkt Sangharsh Samiti unanimously agreed and demanded implementation of Factor-2 (four times compensation) restoration and rehabilitation as per the Land Acquisition Act 2013. “Nothing more, nothing less than the Factor-2”, the farmers asserted.
Joginder Walia, convenor of the samiti reminded the government that it was in 2018 a sub-committee was constituted at the ministerial level under the chairmanship of Mr. Govind Thakur, in which the Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation and Land Acquisition, 2013, as per Factor-2 was promised and the government had talked about implementing its (vision) manifesto.
But even after 4 years, the Himachal government remained in deep slumber and has yet to take a call on this. “We hope that three members sub-committee under Mohinder Singh Thakur will definitely find a solution to the issues of the farmers in the coming days and the government will immediately settle the demands of the farmers”, Walia said.
If not resolved soon, land acquisition affected forum in the coming days will be compelled to organize a state level movement, he warned.
President of Prabhabit Manch, BR Kaundal said the four lane roads are being constructed in Himachal Pradesh by the National Highways Authority of India in which the land of farmers is being acquired. It has hit farmers, shopkeepers and other citizens whose agricultural land or Livelihoods are getting affected by this land acquisition. The notification issued on April 2, 2015 (two times) should be cancelled immediately and Himachal government should implement the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 (Resettlement, Rehabilitation and Fourfold Compensation) in time to give justice to the fourlane affected people, he demanded.
“Tax and compensation should be according to the market rate and 12% interest should be given and the pending cases in the divisional court should be disposed off quickly”, Kaundal said.
The President of Four-Lane Prabhabit Committee, Bilaspur, Madan Sharma demanded that no change should be made in the road plan and dumping should be done at the appropriate place.
Fourlane Affected Union (Kullu-Mandi), President Naresh Kumar (Kuku) demanded that the villages adjoining the proposed four lanes with 5- meter control width and 3- meter TCP scheme should canceled the condition of 50 meters and compensate the shopkeepers for rehabilitation. Compensation should be paid for the damage caused outside the proposed road and relief be given to the common people within 20 km radius of the toll plaza, he demanded.
In the end, Mahender Singh Thakur, Chairman, Cabinet Sub-Committee, after listening to the grievances of the farmers, assured that the sub-committee will submit its report to the government within the next 15 days so that the farmers can get relief.
The sub-committee was accompanied by Onkar Sharma, revenue secretary, officers of the National Highway and about 150 farmers of Mandi, Kullu, Kangra and Bilaspur of Fourlane Sangharsh Samiti.
