Flay move to establishsub-station in Ilayanallur About 20 farmers of Ilayanallur village panchayat in Katpadi taluk began a relay fast on Monday on their lands, which were to be acquired by the Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI) for establishing a 765/400-KV sub-station. The PGCI has decided to establish the sub-station, which would a reception point for the power to be received from Gujarat for connection to the State Grid, as part of the measures being taken by the Tamil Nadu government to overcome the crippling power scarcity . The PGCI would be requiring 105.92 acres of land for the sub-station. At a meeting Collector Ajay Yadhav had with PGCI officials and the District Revenue Officer on March 17, he asked the PGCI to work out a Rehabilitation Action Plan (RAP) for the families which would be affected by land acquisition. K.P. Bhoopal, one of the farmers whose lands would be acquired and is among those on fast, said 63 farmers whose lands are to be taken over by the government expressed objection to the very proposal of acquisition as the lands to be acquired are fertile on which farmers are dependent for their livelihood. “The government should first rehabilitate us before taking over our lands”, he said, when told that the government had a right to take over lands for development purposes after paying compensation. Mr. Bhoopal said that during the enquiry conducted by the Revenue Divisional Officer, Vellore, who is the enquiry officer in respect of the proposed acquisition of the said land, the farmers gave a petition objecting to the very proposal for acquiring their lands. When that is the case, cheques towards compensation for their lands were issued to about 10 farmers in possession of DC (denotified communities) lands, who were “forced to accept the cheques.” They were given a pittance of a compensation, which worked out to Rs.568 per cent, he said. When asked about the objections raised by the farmers, Mr. Yadav told The Hindu that as per the Land Acquisition Act, the government has the right to acquire land for the creation of public infrastructure after payment of due compensation to them. “We are acquiring land not for any private company but public utility. We are acquiring land for a sub-station so that power from another State comes to Tamil Nadu. The farmers should cooperate with the administration in giving the land,” he said. All the farmers whose lands are to be acquired participated in the enquiry conducted by the RDO on March 26, and the administration has offered the maximum price to the land as per the rules under the Land Acquisition Act. There are bound to be grievances about the price offered for the land. If they feel that the price is low, they are at liberty to approach the court, Mr. Yadav said. When asked about the farmers' views that the government should first arrange for rehabilitation of farmers before taking over their lands, the Collector said the district administration has already asked the PGCI to work out a Rehabilitation Action Plan for the farmers and offer them rehabilitation after studying the land and the economic conditions of each one of the farmers. But, the farmers are reluctant to allow the rehabilitation team to go ahead with their work. “Besides, I have told the PGCI not to touch the land before the crops are harvested. “There is no alternative land. Some farmers are tyring to misguide the others,” Mr. Yadav said when told about the farmers' view that the PGCI could acquire about 200 acres of land available near Melpadi and Mahimandalam. He denied the charge that the district administration threatened some persons to accept cheques towards compensation. “As a district administrator, I am supposed to help both the farmers and the PGCI. I have assured the farmers that I will get them the best deal possible,” he said.