A large number of local farmers under the banner of the Bharatiya Kisan Kalyan Sangh launched a protest outside the Indore collectorate on Monday to oppose land acquisition for the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) proposed Eastern Ring Road project and the Indore-Manmad rail line.
Protest Called Off After Meeting with Collector
The protest was called off in the evening following a meeting with Collector Shivam Verma, who committed to reviewing the entire acquisition process and delivering a decision within 20 days. The demonstration caused significant public disruption as administrative gates were locked for security, leaving visitors unable to enter the premises. During the protest, two farmers fell ill and were taken to a local hospital.
Projects Affecting Over 2,000 Farmers
The two infrastructure projects would affect over 2,000 farmers across the Indore and Dewas districts. The Eastern Ring Road (Eastern Bypass) project impacts 44 villages across six tehsils in Indore and Dewas districts. The project requires acquisition of 820 hectares of land belonging to 1,200 farmers. The Indore-Manmad Rail Project involves the acquisition of 500 hectares of land across 18 villages in the Indore district, affecting 923 farmers. The protesters demanded the exclusion of fertile agricultural land from the projects and the outright cancellation of the proposed routes to protect local livelihoods.
Consumer Commission Orders Compensation for Kanadia Soybean Farmers
Following a prolonged legal battle that escalated to the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), five farmers of Kanadia village have secured compensation for their 2017 Kharif soybean crop losses. Despite a 57% crop loss that year, a total of 135 local farmers were denied claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana due to a clerical error on the government portal, which mistakenly recorded their land details incorrectly.
Compensation Details
“The final order directs the cooperative bank and society to disburse the insurance claims with 6% annual interest, along with Rs 5,000 for mental agony and Rs 5,000 for litigation expenses per complainant,” said farmers Radheshyam Mandloi, Omprakash Mandloi, and Babulal Mandloi. They added that the compensation would also be paid to the legal heirs of the deceased farmers Chatarsingh Mandloi and Hindusingh Mandloi.
