Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 19

After the political move by the government to “give back” land acquired for the SYL canal project to the farmers through mutations, the chorus for returning the land for a defunct project linked to the canal is gaining momentum.

Marginal farmers — whose 300 acres were acquired for a 20 MW hydel power plant at Malikpur — of over a dozen villages near Anandpur Sahib have joined hands to demand their land back that was acquired for “peanuts” in the late 80s and early 90s.

“The machinery in a part of the land for the project is lying defunct. The Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has been trying to sell off the machines as scrap. A large part of land along the Malikpur road is lying unutilised,” said Darshan Singh, whose 4.5 acres had been acquired in 1990 for the project.

The villagers’ demand has gained momentum after the Revenue Department undertook a mammoth exercise to transfer back 4,261 acres acquired for the SYL canal in 202 villages of Mohali, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib and Ropar districts to 21,511 farmers following a Cabinet decision.

Much to the anguish of the farmers, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) had transferred 87 acres to the Forest Department for compensatory afforestation three years ago.

“If the intentions of the government are clear, it should also return our land and as it was acquired for hydel power plants over the SYL canal. When the land for the SYL canal is being returned, there is no point in keeping our land. It does not matter whether our land was acquired by the Irrigation Department or the Electricity Department,” said Surmukh Singh of Mianpur Rianan whose 7 acres were acquired.

“Some years ago, we were allowed to till the land as it was lying idle. But the relaxation was withdrawn. The barren land is becoming a jungle, attracting wild animals. The beasts damage standing crops in the nearby fields,” said Master Chanchal Singh of Malikpur village.