Farmers turn millionaires in Punjab

Wednesday’s order of the Supreme Court to maintain status quo on the SYL canal land notwithstanding, thousands of farmers in Punjab villages became ‘millionaires’ overnight after the government returned land to them free of cost several decades later.

Land prices in many areas in the 122 km stretch of the unfinished canal swelled phenomenally over the years.

The current land price in these areas ranges between Rs 25 and Rs 50 lakh every acre. Some farmers gained up to 7 or 8 acres of land.

Apprehending an adverse order on the controversial SYL canal issue, the revenue department on the directions of the Punjab government worked overtime, making changes in the revenue records to alter the ownership of SYL land in favour of the original land owners or their legal heirs.

Gursharan Virk of Bibipur village in Punjab’s Patiala district is today an owner of additional land worth Rs 3 crore.

The government has returned 8 acres of land that it acquired for the SYL canal from his grandfather decades ago.

Farmer Kuldip Singh’s land returned was limited to 2 acres after division among the legal heirs. But when’s its coming free of cost, Singh isn’t complaining.

There are scores of farmers in Punjab who have benefited this way in immovable assets.

But a sense of disquiet has set in after yesterday’s Apex Court order on a petition filed by the neighbouring Haryana on the SYL issue.

Haryana has argued that despite the order to maintain status quo on the land acquired for the SYL, Punjab has returned the land in contempt of the Court.

Farmers who have got their land back are wary of investing money on leveling, tilling or cultivation.

That’s because they are not sure of the outcome and the fallout of any adverse direction by the SYL.

In excess Rs 10 lakh per acre will be needed to prepare the land, fill it with sand et al, Singh said, adding that the entire effort or the money spent may go waste if the SC order reverts the government decision to hand over land to farmers.

Last month, the Court had termed the Punjab Termination of Water treat Act unconstitutional which, simply put, meant that the canal would be built and Haryana would get its share of water.

Poll-bound Punjab isn’t willing. Close to 4,300 acres of land in 202 villages in four districts has been transferred back to over twenty-one thousand farmers in Punjab.