Farmers protest against rate of compensation
MEERUT: Demanding equal rate of compensation against their land acquired for the Delhi-Meerut expressway, farmers of around 19 villagers of Meerut district continued their protest in front of the divisional commissioner, Anita Shri Meshram’s office here on Sunday.
They also carried out a march where they walked in a half-naked state despite the local administration imposed Section 144 in the area to stop them. Over 150 farmers took part in the march.
The farmers, who started the protest on October 30 from Dasna, alleged that state government was providing different rate of compensation in exchange of their land for the same project in the same village.
On Saturday, farmers of the 19 villages reached Meerut and demonstrated at the commissioner’s officer premises, demanding to have a conversation with Meshram, regarding the issue. However, the commissioner could not meet them.
Later, the farmers decided to stay in the Chaudhary Charan Singh Park near the commissioner’s office and warned to continue their protest until their demands were accepted.
Local Samajwadi Party leader Atul Pradhan, who took part in the march, said, “Farmers of the same village were given different rates of compensation that is not fair. We will continue the protest until someone from the higher authority came to talk to us. We also plan to meet chief minister Adiyanath Yogi, who will be visiting Meerut in the coming days, and put forward our demands.”
The divisional commissioner could not be contacted for comment despite several call attempts on her mobile number.