Bullet train project: In Bharuch, land officer lists 12-point farmers’ objections

“We have made sure to compile all the major issues that the farmers raised. It is now upon the government to review it and make necessary implementations,” said Yasmin Sheikh, competent land acquisition officer, Bharuch.

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The objections raised by the farmers include annulment of the prescripts published in newspapers, implementation of all procedures as per the Central Land Acquisition Act, 2013, carrying out Social and Environmental impact assessments under the Land Acquisition Act, which the farmers have said were not conducted.

The report states, “According to section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act 2013, prior to publishing preliminary notifications in the newspaper, social and environmental impact assessment should be carried out in the presence of affected farmers. This was not implemented in this case and thus the prescripts published should stand nullified.”

The report further emphasized on the farmer’s opposition to the ASR which was last revised in 2011. It said, “If the 2011 ASR will be used to compensate the farmers for a project in 2018, then the farmers stand in complete opposition to the project.”

The affected farmers had also said that there was a lack of communication between the officials and the farmers, which the report highlighted.

“No consultations at village level were held prior to the issue of notifications. Discussions regarding how the project will affect the farmers, their farm land, the people working under them and how it will benefit the farmers was never discussed,” the report noted. The farmers have said that their agitation will continue until the objections raised are resolved.