Srinagar, 31 Aug (KNS): National Conference on Monday asked the government not to forcibly acquire 3800 kanals of agricultural land in South Kashmir and district Budgam as the notification for land Acquisition issued in year 2017 has expired as per the provisions of J&K Land Acquisition Act 1934 which has also been repealed post abrogation of article 370.

In a statement to KNS, party's South Zone President Dr Bashir Veeri said that section 11 of J&K’s “repealed” Land Acquisition Act 1934 mandates the acquiring authority to complete the acquisition proceedings within a period of 2 years from the date of notification under section 4 of the Act and in the event of its failure to do so, the notification and the proceedings taken there under are to lapse. Section 11-B of J&K Land Acquisition Act 1934 (samvat 1990-now repealed post article 370 abrogation ) reads as :“The Collector shall make an award under section 11 within a period of two years from the date of the publication of the declaration and if no award is made within that period, the entire proceedings for the acquisition of land shall lapse ”

Dr Veeri said that notification under section 4 for instance in case of village Wathoora in Budgam was issued on 20th March 2017 and it was mandatory for the Collector Land Acquisition Budgam to finalize the land acquisition process and make an award on or before 20th of March 2019. However neither the award was approved by the competent authority nor published within the stipulated period as mandated under the repealed J&K Land Acquisition Act 1934. It was incumbent upon a Collector to notify the award to the interested persons within the meaning of section 12 of the repealed land acquisition act.

“Collector Land Acquisition Budgam did not at any point of time within the stipulated period of 2 years commencing from 20th March 2017 till today ever notified to the aggrieved farmers that any award was made by him in respect of their land intended to be acquired. After 3 ½ years the Financial Commissioner’s office has given approval to the so called award dated 13th August 2020 which is nothing but a legal fraud. If the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) pays 4 times more compensation to affected people and farmers in other states, why deprive the same in Kashmir where operational land holding is much less than other states of India?” Dr Veeri questioned.(KNS)