Gharana wetland row
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 3: Member DDC Suchetgarh, Taranjit Singh Tony-today led a delegation of Gharana wetland farmers along with Sarpanch Gurdyal Singh Soni and called on Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Raghav Langer and raised their concerns what they called the arbitrary, illegal action of Civil administration and police yesterday.
The delegation also submitted a memorandum of demands to the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu. Sushma Choudhary and Gurmeet Singh were also part of the delegation.
The DDC Member said that by forcibly trespassing into the land chunks and houses of farmers the administration has taken law in its hand which calls for legal action. He said that farmers are subjected to crop losses due to migratory birds but till date the Government has not given a penny as compensation but now in the name of development is encroaching upon their land by initiating forcible fencing exercise.
He raised the question that the matter being subjudice since 1982 with High Court ordering status quo, how could the administration change the status quo by raising fencing? He also said that nearly 1700 kanals of land is being irrigated by the water body in the area by using pumps but with concerned department taking over the pond what will be the fate of these fields? He also said that department lodged FIR against farmers for disallowing the birds to sit in their fields which is again arbitrary and demanded that this trend should be stopped immediately.
The delegation said that the present rate of land settled by the J&K Government is not acceptable and it should reconsider the same in the light of Central Government rules.
The Divisional Commissioner assured the delegation that he will visit the spot on Monday along with DC Jammu and find amicable resolution to the issues confronted by the farmers.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
