Land pooling policy: BKU Doaba holds meeting with Bhullarai farmers

Members of the Bhartiya Kisan Union, Doaba (BKU Doaba) held a meeting at Bhullarai village in Phagwara to discuss the grievances of villagers in opposition to the state government’s land pooling policy. The gathering held at a local gurdwara was well attended.

Headed by BKU Doaba state president Manjit Singh Rai, the meeting witnessed the presence of families from Bhullarai village, whose land is set to be acquired under the land pooling scheme. Leaders shared that 200 acres of land from the village is set to be acquired for a New Urban Estate. Rai condemned the land pooling policy of the state government, calling it unfeasible. He said 60 families from Bullarai village will lose their lands to the policy, if it comes to fruition. The union members said this won’t be allowed at any cost.

Representatives of the families said they would be left unemployed if they had to part with their lands.

This land is the source of livelihood for many families and there is no other means for villagers. They said the entire village is united and people will never give this land to the government, even if they have to launch a huge struggle.

Rai, after listening to the villagers’ grievances, said, “BKU Doaba will struggle shoulder to shoulder with the farmers and villagers. We will never tolerate the government’s excesses on this front. We have got these lands through the sacrifices of our elders and farmers will not part with their lands sustained with hard work, sweat and blood."

Rai has formerly visited villages affected by the project in Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr and Jalandhar. While addressing villagers at Bhulla Rai village at Phagwara, he said, “I have been to other districts affected by the project and villagers aren’t willing to part with even a marla of their land."

Rai added: “The state government has thrown caution to the winds abandoning the norms and requirements of the central land pooling act for this Punjab project. Clauses pertaining to issues like consent of at least 80 per cent of the residents; prior requirement stated by people for such a project; the cost (stated as per the central act) to be paid to farmers, have all been ignored. All the former similar projects of PUDA in other districts are lying unsold as these are highly overpriced. In Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar too, these PUDA projects have been built. No one wants to invest in these due to high prices. Even the 1,200 square yards being promised to farmers in lieu of their lands will have a high development charge — which will be charged from farmers. The policy is in no way profitable to a farmer. It will not generate any income for them, rather steal their existing livelihoods. It’s a poor scheme brought in without demand or consent."

Punjab vice president Harbhajan Singh Bajwa said land of about 200 acres from the Bhullarai village is set to be acquired belonging to 60 families — 32 of whom are in India and 28 abroad.

Bajwa said, “Two meetings have already taken place on the issue and farmers have also met members of the administration. Villagers will not part with their land."

From the BKU Doaba, press secretary Gurpal Singh, Pala Makhan Singh, Todarpur Raja Singh Jagjit Pur, Hardeep Singh, among others were present.

Jalandhar