Post News Network
Duburi, Nov 8: The ambitious Angul-Duburu-Sukinda rail project will soon hit a roadblock with scores of farmers whose land has been earmarked for the project resolving “not to let go of an inch of their land”.
Farmers under the banner of Khyatigrastha Chasi Surakhya Committee (Sukinda Zone) Sunday held a protest meeting at Baliapal under Danagadi tehsil in Jajpur district.
Farmers alleged that land for the rail project is being acquired through force. Farmers of Shalijanga, Ranagundi and Baghuapal expressed their indignation at the manner in which the land was being acquired for the railway project.
Angry locals uprooted several pillars that were laid along the earmarked land as identification marks. Sources said a confrontation between locals and the railway authorities was brewing and would soon come to a head.
Meanwhile, the district administration has fixed November 16 as the date for hearing of grievances from locals.
Railway authorities initiated land acquisition last year at Sukinda and Danagadi area, but when this was initiated in Danagadi, farmers from Shalijanga, Ranagundi, Baliapal and Baghuapal strongly opposed it.
They alleged that authorities were not paying the right price for their land, which was allegedly being acquired in a forcible manner.
Farmers at the meeting pointed out that land losers in Kalinganagar area were paid Rs 5 lakh as compensation for an acre of land, whereas only Rs 53,064 was fixed for an acre of land for the railway project.
They warned of an agitation if the administration went ahead with land acquisition without paying the right price of the land to the affected families. Many tribal and farmer leaders were vocal against the land acquisition and demanded an immediate halt to the process.
