Farmers at Nindar village, 20 km from here, on Tuesday called off their month-long unusual agitation, during which they dug pits and trenches and buried themselves waist-deep in the mud to protest against acquisition of their land for a housing project. The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) gave them a written assurance for a fresh survey of the land.
The farmers began the Zameen Samadhi Satyagraha on October 2, Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, in connection with 1,350 bigha land which was acquired in several stages since 2010 for a housing project despite the land owners’ refusal to accept compensation.
The Nindar Bachao Yuva Kisan Sangharsh Samiti activists spearheaded the protest with the demand for a fresh survey, even as women and children joined the menfolk who accused the state government of forcibly acquiring the land. The protesters celebrated Karwa Chauth and Diwali at the protest site this month.
Following talks with Urban Development Minister Shrichand Kriplani, Sangharsh Samiti convenor Nagendra Singh Shekhawat said the state government has now agreed for conducting a survey of structures, tubewells and fruit-bearing trees on the farmers' land. After Tuesday's written orders, the farmers were hopeful that the new survey would reflect the ground situation and ensure a better compensation.
The state government was earlier insisting on getting possession of 150 bighas of the 'mandir mafi' (exempted for temples) land for which the JDA had deposited ₹60 crore in the court as compensation. There are houses built on the mandir mafi land and the villagers are living there.
Mr. Shekhawat said the villagers were unwilling to surrender the mandir mafi land and the earlier survey had several faults. Many agricultural fields were marked as barren land and hamlets were shown as vacant land, while the compensation was being offered at the rates prevailing in 2010, since when the market prices of land have spiralled.
