The main opposition Congress today staged a walkout during question hour in the Chhattisgarh Assembly over inadequate compensation given to farmers while acquiring their land for a cement project in Balodabazar district.
Raising the issue, Congress MLA Mohammad Akbar said Shree Cement company had acquired around 400 acres of land in Bharuwadih, Khapradih and Semradih villages of the district, for which farmers were paid only Rs 3 lakh per acre.
Some of the farmers later started an agitation in protest against the acquisition following which the company management hiked the compensation to Rs 15 lakh per acre.
Akbar had asked as to how many farmers were provided Rs 15 lakh per acre for acquisition of their land.
In reply, Revenue Minister Dayaldas Baghel said, "I do not know how much compensation has been announced by the company later. I have received an application from 16 farmers requesting to provide additional compensation and the Collector of the Balodabazar district has been told to consider the matter".
The minister also said the matter was between the farmers and the company management and the government could not do anything about it.
Countering his reply, Akbar questioned as to how the minister was unaware of the company having officially announced the additional compensation.
The farmers were given only Rs 6 lakh by way of compensation while rest of the Rs 9 lakh was yet to be paid, he said.
Joining the MLA over the issue, Leader of Opposition Ravindra Choubey asked how a minister could say that this was an issue between the farmers and the management.
The government is the authority and the minister should inform the House as to when the farmers would be provided rest of the compensation, he demanded.
Baghel said he would ask officials to take necessary action in this regard following which Congress alleged that the government was insensitive towards farmers and staged a walkout.
