The Shiromani Akali Dal on Friday demanded at least a 100% hike in compensation to the farmers for the land being acquired under the “Bharat Mala” project for different highways in the State.
The party submitted a memorandum in this regard to Governor Banwari Lal Purohit here. Party president Sukhbir Singh Badal said Punjab farmers have been put at a loss of over ₹25,000 crore by the State government’s “devious and surreptitious” decision to substantially reduce the collector rates for their lands affected by the acquisition. Mr. Badal said the SAD would fight for justice for the farmers till it succeeded in getting the government to withdraw or suitably change its decision. He announced that the party would organise a ‘tractor march’ to the residence of the Chief Minister Charanjeet Singh Channi on September 29 to put pressure on the government to heed to the just demands of the farmers.
