Farmers of Kajiana village located on the Pinjore-Mallan road have demanded their land back from the government, as Haryana Tourism Corporation Limited (HTCL) failed to launch the project here even after 18 years. HTCL had acquired 46 bigha and 5 biswa of land from nearly 35 farmers of this village in 1995-96 for setting up an integrated tourism resort and spa during the Chaudhary Bhajan Lal government. A sum of Rs 23,28,585 was also paid as compensation, but in the last 18 years, HTCL could not prepare even a blueprint of the proposed project. The farmers alleged that the government had forcibly acquired their land at throwaway prices. They were even allured by officials saying that the project would boost the economy of the area. They have demanded their chunk of land back with an offer of paying the interest on the compensation and the cost of crops they used to yield. Some of the villagers whose land was acquired included Ganpat Sharma (14 bigha), Jai Chand (10 bigha), Gian Chand (4 bigha), Kishori Lal, Nihal Chand, Rup Lal ( 2 bigha each), Babu Ram and Bidhi Chand and many others. “We were shocked to see that former Chief Minister late Bhajan Lal, along with senior government officials, had been to the village for laying the foundation stone of the project. But it was a jolt for us when officials of the district administration told us that their land had been acquired for setting up of the resort,” claimed Ganpat Sharma. Kishori Lal, another villager, informed that the government acquired his 2 bigha land but paid the compensation in installments after a long gap. “We all have small landholdings and depend on rain for crops. The government acquired the land, which best suited for pulses, ” claimed Kishori Lal. A visit to the site revealed that HTCL has installed three sign boards bearing the trespassers and the foundation stone laid by the then Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal was missing from the site. The land acquired by HTCL has virtually turned into a grazing field. Vijai Vardhan, Secretary (Tourism), Haryana, said the land was acquired by the government after paying suitable compensation to the owners. “How could they claim the land back after so many years,” he questioned. Vardhan, however, claimed that the government has formed a committee of secretaries headed by Chief Secretary, to chalk out the modalities for setting up of a integrated tourism resort and spa at the site. “The government has even hired a Mumbai-based consultant company to develop this site as a world class tourism resort with all ultra modern facilities. The project would be advertised in July end and the construction will start shortly,” he claimed.