AIKS Condemns Police Repression at Bhangar

The All India Kisan Sabha condemns the police firing at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal which has resulted in the deaths of two persons resisting forcible land acquisition. The people of villages of Khamarait, Machhi Bhanga, Tona, Gazipur etc., of Polerhat 2 Panchayat in Bhangar Assembly Constituency have been resisting forcible land acquisition for Power Grid and High Voltage Transmission. The TMC Government has resorted to use of brute force and repeated efforts of the villagers for a dialogue have been ignored. AIKS demands that the TMC government should stop using force against the protestors. It should open talks with the people to settle the issue. An ex-gratia of 10 Lakh must be given to the families of victims of police firing.  

In the acquisition of land neither the guidelines of the Lands Acquisition Act of 2013 have been followed nor have guidelines for payment of compensation towards damages in regard to Right of Way for Transmission Line, Ministry of Power, Government of India, 15.10.2015 been implemented. No Social Impact Assessment or Environment Impact Assessment has been carried out neither principle of prior informed consent been followed. Even the safeguards for food security have been violated as the land being acquired is fertile multi-cropped land. There are also concerns expressed by villagers about the health impact of Electro Magnetic Field and possible threat of leakage of Sulphur Hexaflouride which apparently is used as a high voltage insulator. The Government should initiate efforts to address these concerns and open dialogue with the villagers in the affected region. The land should not be acquired forcible and an oppressive measures should be stopped forthwith

AIKS expresses solidarity with the peasantry and villagers of Bhangar who are resisting the forcible land acquisition.

Sd/-
Amra Ram, President
Hannan Mollah, General Secretary
18th January, 2017