Chandigarh, May 21
The Congress in Punjab on Wednesday opposed the proposal of the Aam Aadmi Party government in the state to acquire over 23,000 acres around Ludhiana city for non-agriculture purposes.
The party said it would not only snatch away the livelihood of tens of thousands of farmers but would also prove to be economically and environmentally devastating and disastrous for the area.
“You are going to create a concrete jungle out of green agricultural land,†state party president and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring warned in a letter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, while remarking, “AAP appears to have assumed the role of colonisers.â€
“I am feeling concerned and worried about such a huge parcel of prime agricultural land getting acquired for non-agricultural purposes,†he said, adding, “so should be you, worried and concerned as it will not only snatch away the livelihood of farmers, but will be ecologically and environmentally devastatingly disastrous.†He said there was genuine anger and outrage among the affected people.
“If executed, this decision will snatch away the livelihood of tens of thousands of farmers in the affected villages,†he added while warning that “from being prosperous farmers, they risk turning into landless labourers in big cities.â€
Warring observed that Punjab, being an agricultural state, cannot afford to convert such a huge parcel of land into a “concrete jungleâ€, particularly when there is no need or requirement for the same. He pointed out that hundreds of colonies around Ludhiana are crying for attention.
“Instead of forcibly grabbing the land of farmers in the name of development, why not regularise those colonies and provide facilities to the residents after claiming due developmental charges?†he asked.
“Or, is it because of some rejected ‘experts’ from Delhi who have suggested bringing in some populist schemes ahead of 2027 elections and for which you need money,†he said, adding, “it is like robbing Peter to pay Paul.â€
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone from Punjab, this is very concerning. Our farmers are already struggling and now their lands are being taken? AAP came to power promising to help farmers, not turn them into laborers. Development shouldn't come at this cost. 👎
While development is important, 23,000 acres is too much! Ludhiana already has pollution problems. More concrete means less green cover. Why not improve existing infrastructure first? The government should listen to farmers' concerns properly.
Interesting how Congress is now speaking for farmers when they did similar things in the past. But I agree - this massive acquisition seems unnecessary. Punjab's breadbasket shouldn't become a concrete jungle. There must be better ways to develop Ludhiana.
The government should present proper data - what exactly is the development plan? How many jobs will it create? What environmental safeguards are there? Right now it just looks like another real estate grab. Transparency is needed!
As an urban planner, I see both sides. Ludhiana needs expansion, but this scale seems excessive. Why not vertical development instead of horizontal land grab? And what about proper compensation for farmers? Just giving money isn't enough when generations farmed that land.
Punjab's agriculture is its backbone. First water problems, now this? Government must think long-term. Once fertile land is gone, it's gone forever. Development should be smart, not just big. Hope better sense prevails. ðŸ™
Here are 6 diverse Indian perspective comments for the Ludhiana land acquisition article: We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.