Relief to farmers hiked in Punjab

The court has enhanced the price of A category land from Rs 13 lakh per acre to Rs 19.36 lakh per acre while relief for B, C & D category of land has been hiked from Rs 7.5 lakh per acre to Rs 10.89 lakh per acre.

The court has given enhancement of 10 per cent on structures and 20 per cent on trees in the 336.5 acre land.

Additional Sessions Judge Nirbhau Singh Gill in his judgement directed Patiala Development Authority (PDA) and Punjab government to give compensation while disposing of petitions of 200 affected who had challenged the acquisition on the said price.

However, unhappy over hike in compensation, petitioners' advocate Rakesh Gupta said they would appeal in Punjab and Haryana High Court against this order after getting certified copy of the order.

"We have been demanding relief of Rs 50 lakh per acre but court has only increased Rs 6.36 lakh per acre of A category land," he said.

PDA has allotted 1,750 plots of various sizes and 931 EWS houses.

However, Punjab government had already issued project termination notice to real estate company Omaxe Ltd for allegedly failing to provide promised jobs in its township project and develop IT and Bio-tech sector on 1.5 lakh square feet of area at Patiala.