Raj: Farmers launch agitation over land acquisition by Jaipur Development Authority

Farmers in Rajasthan's Nindar village on Tuesday launched an agitation over the alleged land acquisition by the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) for a housing project.

Demanding that their land be acquired as per the revised Land Acquisition Act and compensation be given accordingly, around 20 people from the village located on the outskirts of state capital Jaipur have started the 'Zameen Samadhi Satyagrah'.

As part of the protest, five people will take 'Zameen Samadhi' (burying themselves neck-deep in the ground) tonight, said Nagendra Singh Shekhawat, a leader of Nindar Bachao Yuva Kisan Sangarsh Samiti.

"We have launched a satyagrah from today as JDA has once again started land acquisition without giving compensation as per the revised Land Acquisition Act, which was implemented in the country six years ago," Shekhawat said.

"We will not let the government acquire the land," he added.

The farmers had launched a similar protest in October 2017 and some of them had even gone on a hunger strike.

The protesters are against the acquisition of more than 1,300 bighas of land for a housing project.

The JDA has taken possession of 600 bighas of land so far and deposited Rs 60 crore in a local court as compensation for it after villagers refused to accept the amount, claiming it did not hold up to the prevailing market rates.

Around 10,000 houses will be built under the scheme announced in January 2011.