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Indian Express
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Will Halwara airport push Punjab's land pooling policy forward?
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to virtually inaugurate the Halwara airport in Ludhiana district on July 27, hopes are high, and so are tensions. The Punjab government's ambitious land pooling policy, which seeks to acquire over 24,000 acres across 44 villages in Ludhiana, falls in the vicinity of this upcoming airport. But whether the airport's launch will help the policy gain traction remains a contentious question – especially among farmers. Many farmers are sceptical, viewing the timing of the inauguration as strategic, given the resistance to land acquisition. 'The timing is no coincidence,' said Didar Singh Malak, a farmer from Malak village in Jagraon constituency. 'But real farmers won't voluntarily join this policy. Maybe some realtors who bought land earlier will participate. Now that an airport is coming, this region will boom – why should we give up our land when there's no development timeline and no trust in the government?' he added. Malak's concern is echoed by Balwinder Singh, a Ferozepur-based farmer whose ancestral land falls in Ballowal village, one of the affected areas. 'Over 1,800 objections have been filed by farmers from these villages,' he said. The farmer then added, 'We want the government to declare how many have supported the policy, not just assume it. Farmers who fought the farm laws in 2020 are ready for another struggle. Halwara airport is a welcome step for development, but that doesn't mean we'll surrender our land.' Sources said a few realtors have already handed over acquired land in Noorpur Bet village to the Punjab government under the land pooling framework for urban estate development. The villages closest to Halwara airport include Birmi, Issewal, Dakha, Bhanohar, Baddowal, Gahaur, Threeke, Jhande, Hassanpur, Pamal, Narangwal, Jodhan, Rattan, Pamali, Rurka, and others – many of which fall directly under the land pooling policy radar. Protests are heating up across the Jagraon constituency. Villagers are reportedly planning to burn effigies of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and MLA Sarabjit Kaur Manuke on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) is mobilising farmers for a massive rally in Mullanpur on July 24, followed by tractor marches across all villages under the land pooling policy across Punjab on July 30. In total, over 40,000 acres of land across Punjab are being targeted under this policy, with Ludhiana district alone contributing the lion's share of over 24,000 acres.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bharat Bandh disrupts daily life in Odisha; bus services hit, protestors block roads; demands raised against labour laws
BHUBANESWAR: Normal life went out of gear in several places in Odisha on Wednesday due to the Bharat Bandh call given by trade unions and farmers' outfits. They were protesting the implementation of four labour codes, the increase in working hours, and the decriminalisation of violations of labour laws by employers. Common people faced difficulties as buses were not plying on most of the routes in the state. Though trains were running as usual, people were anxious about whether protestors might picket at stations by stopping the trains. 'I have urgent work in Phulbani, but I am not getting a bus now. There is no train connectivity to Phulbani, so I do not have any other way to reach my destination. Some buses are assuring me that they may ply during the evening, but the marriage ceremony will be over by the time I reach there,' said Manohar Digal while waiting for a bus at Baramunda bus terminal. A similar situation was witnessed at Cuttack's Netaji bus terminal and other bus stands in the state. As most areas in the state are not connected with railway networks, people still depend on bus services. Fearing any face-off with protestors, many bus owners have stopped running buses on different routes connecting Bhubaneswar. Around 10 trade unions, farmers' outfits led by Samyukt Kisan Morcha, and agricultural workers' unions supported the all-India strike. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo by Taboola by Taboola They staged demonstrations in front of railway stations, bus stands/terminals, govt offices, highways, and busy squares as a mark of protest in different district and block headquarters in the state. They also conducted picketing at busy squares of cities, in front of different central govt offices, and major institutions, demanding the fulfilment of their 17-point charter of demands. In the capital city, protestors staged a demonstration at Master Canteen, in front of the Bhubaneswar railway station, blocking vehicular traffic for an hour in the morning as a mark of protest. A workers' union conducted picketing in front of Utkal University's main gate. Tuesday's drivers' strike, which blocked the plying of private buses and public transport vehicles, leaving passengers in the lurch, added salt to the wound of the bus services on Wednesday. 'As many protestors from the drivers' association were stopping the buses and asking the drivers not to drive the vehicles, the fear is still there in the minds of bus drivers. Though a few buses are running, I hope the whole bus service will resume by Wednesday evening. We are monitoring the situation,' said Debendra Sahu, General Secretary of the All Odisha Private Bus Owners' Association. Mahendra Parida, a trade union leader, said the govt has literally given a green signal to employers to exploit labourers and employees by increasing working hours and not increasing the minimum wage of labourers. 'The four labour codes are anti-labour and anti-people reforms. We are protesting this,' he added.
Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Devanahalli land acquisition row: Farmers' meeting with Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah inconclusive, new meeting on July 15
The meeting between farmers opposing the Karnataka Government's plan to acquire 1,777 acres in the Bengaluru Rural district for a defence and aerospace park and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru ended inconclusively Friday. During the meeting, several farmer unions, including the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, and actor-turned-politician Prakash Raj, are said to have urged Siddaramaiah to cancel the land acquisition notification issued by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), but no decision was reached. According to sources privy to the meeting, Siddaramaiah has called for another round of talks, scheduled for 11 am on July 15. The farmers said the government has informed them that the final notification cannot be withdrawn due to legal constraints. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act, 2013) outlines a multi-stage process for land acquisition, including preliminary notification (Section 11), public consultation, social impact assessment (SIA), and final notification (Section 19). Once the final notification is issued, the process becomes legally binding, and withdrawal is complex unless specific conditions are met, such as procedural irregularities or failure to comply with the Act. Raghu, one of the protesting farmers, told The Indian Express, 'We are not at all convinced with today's meeting. We expected the chief minister to take a pro-farmer stand, but we got nothing. Whenever there are issues related to farmers, the state government comes up with excuses such as legal constraints. We had hopes that the chief minister would stand by us, but all hopes were dashed.' The farmers also did not agree to any negotiations linked to seeking more compensation. 'We had decided before the meeting that talks on compensation should be off the table. If they spoke about compensation, we had decided to stage a walkout. Our only demand is to stop the land acquisition process. If the government still goes ahead, bloodshed will follow in our villages,' said Raghu. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Siddaramaiah said experts have informed them that there are certain legal hurdles associated with dropping the land acquisition process. 'Since the final notification has already been issued in April, it is necessary to deliberate on its pros and cons. The government requires a 10-day time frame to arrive at a clear decision,' he said. 'The government cannot take any steps against the law. As the final notification has been issued in accordance with the law, its legal aspects must be thoroughly examined. A preliminary meeting regarding this was held (with legal experts) yesterday (Thursday),' the Karnataka chief minister added. Siddaramaiah also stated that it was not possible to announce the government's stand immediately, and another meeting would be held in 10 days, during which the government is expected to clarify its position. 'We believe in democracy and dialogue. We have not obstructed any protest. The government has not attempted to suppress the protests. I, too, have been part of farmers' unions,' he added.
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Kerala raises concerns over proposed trade treaty with U.S.
Kerala Agriculture Minister P. Prasad has written to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, raising concerns over the proposed Indo-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA). As agriculture was a State subject, the Centre should not sign any agreements that hurt farmers, he cautioned. 'The Centre is keeping this treaty as a secret. It should disclose the details and discuss it in Parliament and with States. Even defence deals are publicised, but on this issue that impacts crores of people, there is complete silence,' Mr. Prasad told The Hindu, adding that he would write letters to Agriculture Ministers of all States urging them to raise their voice against relaxing import duties on agricultural and milk products. Mr. Prasad noted that the treaty with United Kingdom was also finalised without discussions with States. He acknowledged the Centre's efforts for tariff exemptions for the country ahead of the July 9 deadline, beyond which the United States may reimpose a 26% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods. 'However, the U.S. demand for sweeping concessions in India's agricultural and dairy sectors is deeply concerning, particularly for agrarian States like Kerala, where agriculture forms the backbone of the rural economy. After thoughtful deliberation on the far-reaching implications of such concessions, we must register our firm and unequivocal opposition to any agreement that endangers the livelihoods of millions and threatens the very foundation of Kerala's — and indeed India's — agricultural economy,' he said. The Minister pointed out that the U.S. treaty could hamper the coconut oil industry as cheap soybean oil could be imported from the U.S. without any restrictions. Any attempt to allow unchecked import of synthetic rubber would also affect Kerala's rubber farmers, he added. 'Kerala's agriculture, centred on cash crops like coconut, rubber, pepper, cardamom, tea, and coffee, supports millions of smallholder farmers. The proposed FTA poses multiple risks,' he said. Farmers organisations such as Samyukt Kisan Morcha and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) had voiced concerns over the proposed agreement with the U.S. as well. They had held protests across the country against it.
Indian Express
02-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
‘If my land is snatched away, I will die by suicide': Devanahalli farmers to intensify protest ahead of meeting with CM Siddaramaiah
With uncertainty staring at him, Raghu M, a farmer from Devanahalli's Gokare Bachchenahalli village, is already contemplating extreme steps if the Karnataka Government goes ahead and acquires his land for the high-tech defence and aerospace sector park in the Bengaluru Rural district. Raghu, 58, is among the farmers protesting against the acquisition of 1,777 acres of land, spread across 13 villages in the Bengaluru Rural district, by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB). Several farmer unions, including the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, have threatened to intensify their protest if the government does not drop the project. The affected landowners are expected to meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Friday, July 4, seeking withdrawal of the final notification to acquire their lands. 'Snatching my land means snatching my life' Raghu, who grows sandalwood on his 10-acre land in Gokere Machenahalli, has an annual income of Rs 80,000 and looks after a family of four. Speaking to The Indian Express from the protest site at Freedom Park, Raghu said, 'Snatching away my land means snatching away my life. I have my parents' samadhi (memorial) on the land. I will kill myself near the samadhi, if the government acquires my land. This is the fifth time the government is notifying land for industrial purposes in the Channarayapatna hobli. This is when there is significant underutilisation in at least 40 per cent of land allotted to existing industries by KIADB in the hobli.' Farmers argue that KIADB developed an industrial area spanning 1,282 acres in Phase I of the Haralur Industrial Area in Devanahalli taluk. However, only two companies have set up production units in this area, reportedly suggesting significant underutilisation of the allocated land. They say it is a clear indication of prioritising corporate and vested interests over farmer welfare. Farmers have also warned that depriving them of their agricultural lands will lead to severe disruption of essential supplies to Bengaluru. 'If we lose our agricultural land to industrial projects, Bengaluru will be hit severely. Most of the vegetables and milk for Bengaluru come from Devanahalli taluk, given its proximity to the city,' adds Raghu. 'Will end up with gatekeeping, gardening jobs' Gopinath A S, another protesting farmer from Nallur, is facing hurdles in obtaining a no-objection certificate to install a borewell for irrigation on his 6.5-acre agricultural land. Courtesy: the government's finalisation of the notification for land acquisition. Gopinath, who supports a family of 15, grows ragi in his agricultural field, says, 'The only work I know is agriculture. How am I supposed to support my family and my livelihood when the government is grabbing my land? Despite protests from the farmers for the last 3.5 years, the government still went ahead with the final notification'. He also points out that several landowners who lost their land to previous industrial projects ended up as gardeners or gatekeepers at the factories. 'The government has assured compensation of 10,771 sq ft of developed land per acre. What will farmers with small land parcels do? Especially, those with 1 acre or 2 acres of land. They cannot practise agriculture in a small parcel of land in a village. Eventually, they will end up with gatekeeping and gardening jobs in the factories because they are unskilled and know nothing but agriculture,' adds Gopinath. Another farmer, Yangtamma, who has invested nearly Rs 8-9 lakh in the last five years to grow pomegranate on her 5.5-acre land, is equally worried. 'With the government set to acquire my land, all my investment and hard work will go in vain,' she says. The farmers also point out that nearly 80 per cent of landowners raised objections to the land acquisition process when the government conducted the khata amalgamation three years ago. 'While some families accepted compensation, some families remain undecided,' says Raghu. For public-private partnership projects or private acquisitions, consent from 70-80 per cent of affected landowners is required, in line with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. Meanwhile, on June 24, the Karnataka Government decided to exclude 495 acres from three villages from land acquisition. However, farmers from these villages are not convinced. Lakshmamma is a farmer from Nallapanahalli, whose village has been excluded from land acquisition. However, she continues to protest and stand in solidarity with other landowners until the government drops the acquisition process. 'We don't trust the government. No land means no job. My entire family is into agriculture. We grow ragi, silk, and vegetables on a 3-acre land parcel. If the government acquires our land, we have nowhere else to go. We don't want to leave our land. Despite our village being excluded, we still want all other villages to be dropped from the acquisition process,' says Lakshmamma. Competing with other states The state government is ambitiously pursuing the high-tech defence and aerospace park to keep up with the intensifying competition from neighbouring states. Tamil Nadu has emerged as a strong competitor with two planned Aerospace and Defence (A&D) parks in Coimbatore — 350 acres at Varapatti and another near Sulur with an airstrip for trials, similar to Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Hyderabad is also a growing A&D hub, with industrial parks like the one in Adibatla hosting companies such as Tata Advanced Systems and Lockheed Martin. Andhra Pradesh has also recently proposed new HAL facilities, sparking debates about potential relocation from Karnataka, though Karnataka retains HAL's core production units in Bengaluru and Tumkur. The state is also developing industrial corridors to attract A&D investments. Additionally, Andhra Pradesh also offers large land parcels at lower costs compared to Karnataka, and its coastal location boosts logistics for exports. Meanwhile, Maharashtra is positioning Nashik as a future A&D hub, with plans for a defence corridor between Nashik and Pune. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently claimed that Maharashtra is attracting significant A&D investments, surpassing established corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. 'The final notification for the acquisition of land in Devanahalli taluk was issued in April 2025, and reversing it now would be highly problematic due to the administrative processes that are already underway. Such a rollback could create a ripple effect, encouraging farmers across Devanahalli and beyond to demand de-notification of their unutilised KIADB lands, disrupting planned industrial development,' a state government official said. Sanath Prasad is a senior sub-editor and reporter with the Bengaluru bureau of Indian Express. He covers education, transport, infrastructure and trends and issues integral to Bengaluru. He holds more than two years of reporting experience in Karnataka. His major works include the impact of Hijab ban on Muslim girls in Karnataka, tracing the lives of the victims of Kerala cannibalism, exploring the trends in dairy market of Karnataka in the aftermath of Amul-Nandini controversy, and Karnataka State Elections among others. If he is not writing, he keeps himself engaged with badminton, swimming, and loves exploring. ... Read More
