TIRUPPUR: Despite the state government issuing an order to increase the compensation from 100% to 125% of market value for both dry and wet land, farmers affected by the Irugur-Devangonthi Pipeline (IDPL) project are claiming that compensation is not sufficient. Due to this, they have decided to continue their protests in the suburbs of the district and are planning to approach the court soon.
According to sources, the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is implementing a pipeline project from Irugur, in Coimbatore, to Devanagonthi, in Karnataka. This project is being carried out through farm fields from Irugur to Muthur (74km) in Tiruppur, on the same route where the Petronet-CCK pipeline was laid in 1999.
Farmers affected by this project have been continuously protesting, urging that the compensation amount should be fixed based on market value. Against this backdrop, on Friday, the government increased the compensation for wet and dry agricultural lands from 100% to 125% of market value. However, this did not put an end to the protests among farmers.
P Velusamy, president of PAP Vellakoil Branch Canal Water Conservation Movement, said, "In the Kangeyam area, an acre of land is currently selling for up to `2 crore. However, the district administration has announced the compensation by adopting the 2023 guideline value as the market value. If the guideline value of an acre of land is `3 lakh means farmers will get only `3,000 compensation per cent."
"At present, the government has increased the compensation by a further 25%. Why are this government and the district administration not considering the real market value? Acres of their agricultural land will be affected by this project. Therefore, this compensation is not sufficient. At the same time, farmers protesting against the project are being suppressed by the police. Therefore, we intend to approach the courts soon," he added.
N Ramesh, urban district secretary of the Tamilaga Vivasayigal Pathukappu Sangam, said, "We are seeking a compensation of 500% of the market value. However, they have announced compensation at 125% by adopting the old guideline value as the market value. If the guideline value of one acre of land is `5 lakh, this will increase the compensation from `5,000 to `6,250 per cent of land. Therefore, we will not give up our protests."
District Collector Manish Narnaware told TNIE that there is no chance of further increasing the compensation for farmers.