By IANS,
Chandigarh: The Punjab government will not acquire any land in Zirakpur town, on the outskirts of state capital Chandigarh, without the consent of farmers of the area, a spokesperson said here Thursday.
The move by the Punjab government follows opposition by farmers to acquisition for a proposed urban estate in Zirakpur.
“The government has reiterated its firm commitment not to acquire land for the proposed urban state at Zirakpur without the prior consent of farmers,” the spokesperson said.
The land proposed to be acquired falls in the vicinity of villages Ramgarh Bhudda, Singhpura and Nagla.
Zirakpur town is on the Chandigarh-Ambala-Delhi highway, just on the outskirts of the state capital. Located 15 km from Chandigarh’s city centre, Zirakpur has, in the last two decades, emerged as an alternative township with scores of private builders and developers coming up with thousands of flats there.
“The SAD-BJP (Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party) government had earlier also acquired land for several projects only with the prior consent of farmers. The interests of farmers were far more important than the acquisition of the land for any development project,” the spokesperson added.
The government is facing opposition from farmers of Gobindpura village in Mansa district in southwest Punjab following a move to acquire land for a private thermal power plant coming up in the area.