Chandigarh: Opposition BJP in Haryana has
lend its support to farmers protesting the state government`s
move to acquire land of Panjokhra village in Ambala district
for setting up an Industrial Model Township.
BJP`s legislature party leader in Haryana and Ambala
Cantt MLA, Anil Vij on Sunday said that he would sit on a hunger
strike tomorrow to lend support to Kisan Sangarsh Samiti
opposing setting up of the township.
"Over 300 deep and shallow tubewells were already
installed on the acquired land. Canal water through World Bank
aided Panjokhra minor is also available to farmers of this
area. The farmers of these villages are upset over the
decision to acquire land," Vij told reporters.
He said that already there were two industrial areas
in Ambala. "Both of these have scope for further growth as
they are still underdeveloped. If the state government is keen
to extend facilities and generate employment, it should
further develop them and spare the fertile land," he said.
The ruling party Congress has already said that those
who were opposing the IMT project for "political reasons" were
in fact not interested in the development of Ambala.
"Farmers, whose land would be acquired for the
project, have been assured by the Chief Minister that they
would get compensation on revised rates and other incentives
too would be given to them," Congress MLA from Ambala, Venod
Sharma, said.
The farmers in the area have been staging protest on
the issue for the past six months.
Hooda`s cabinet colleague and six-time Congress MLA
from Rewari, Ajay Singh Yadav has also in the recent past
urged the Chief Minister not to acquire fertile land of
farmers in Rewari for various projects.
Main opposition INLD has also been targeting Hooda on
land acquisition by the state agencies in different parts of
the state.
Union Minister Kumari Selja, who is Congress` MP from
Ambala had earlier said the land being acquired for IMT was
"totally fertile and cultivated".
PTI
