Ferozepur: In an unusual protest against alleged non-payment of compensation, farmers in Punjab’s Ferozepur district have started sowing paddy inside the premises of the Ferozeshah Toll Plaza on National Highway-5, claiming that their land was acquired for the project eight years ago without adequate compensation.
The protesting farmers alleged that although their land was acquired in 2018 for the construction of the toll plaza, they have yet to receive full and fair compensation. They said repeated representations to the district administration, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and other concerned authorities have failed to resolve the issue.
To press their demands, farmers entered the toll plaza area, ploughed portions of the land and began sowing paddy, asserting that the land originally belonged to them and that they had been left with no option but to launch a symbolic agitation.
A large number of farmers gathered at the site and raised slogans against the authorities. They warned that the protest would be intensified if their long-pending demands were not addressed at the earliest.
Among the protesters was Gursewak Singh of Ferozeshah village, who alleged that authorities had occupied more land than what was officially notified for acquisition. According to him, around three kanal and 12 marlas of his land were taken beyond the approved acquisition area.
“I approached officials at every level for the past eight years, but no action was taken,” Singh claimed. “I was forced to move court and obtained a decree in my favour. Even after demarcation, departments continue to shift responsibility from one agency to another. The toll plaza has been earning revenue for years while I continue to suffer losses.”
He demanded either the return of the excess land or payment of appropriate compensation for the area allegedly occupied beyond the notified acquisition limits.
The farmers argued that while the toll plaza has been operational and generating revenue for several years, affected landowners are still waiting for a resolution of their grievances. They said the paddy sowing campaign was intended to draw public attention to their plight and force authorities to act.
No official statement had been issued by the district administration or NHAI regarding the farmers’ allegations at the time of filing this report.
The protest has attracted attention across the region, with farmers expressing hope that their unconventional demonstration will compel the authorities to address the compensation dispute and settle the pending claims.
