After Rewari, protest against the State Government’s land acquisition move has gained momentum in Jhajjar district too. Besides the farmers opposing the creation of HUDA sectors in Jhajjar city over 1,300 acres of fertile land, now residents of Balour village in this district have threatened to launch hunger strike if their fertile land is not released from acquisition.
The villagers submitted a memorandum to Bahadurgarh SDM on Monday to apprise the authorities and the Government of their decision. They said land was the only source of their income and the Government wanted to snatch this source.
"The Government has already acquired 552 acres of the village for various purpose and still failed to utilise it. Despite all, now the Government is adamant to acquire 56 acres more land for setting up grain market there, which is the only source of income for the farmers,” said Sanjay, a farmer, adding that a panchayat of farmers had been convened on Sunday to decide the dates of launching the agitation. Rampal, another farmer, alleged the Government was acquiring the land to benefit the private builders and to increase the price of their land located around the acquired land.
“Earlier, the Government had also initiated process to acquire land for establishing new grain market but it was set aside by the court but the Government has again started land acquisition process by serving notices on the villagers,” he added. The farmers informed the land owners had unanimously passed a resolution that they would not allow the Government to take possession over their fertile land at any cost and also launch an indefinite hunger strike if the Government did not set aside the acquisition process.
Notably, land owners of 1300 acres acquired for developing HUDA sectors in Jhajjar city are already on the war path against the Government and have resolved to knock at the door of High Court to protect their land from acquisition.