Mumbai: After facing flak over the death of farmer Dharma Patil (84) last month, who committed suicide over inadequate compensation given for his land in Dhule, the state government on Wednesday decided to give revised compensation to 191 other farmers in the vicinity.

The government had given a paltry sum of Rs 2 lakh per hectare to Patil, while other farmers got Rs 10 lakh per hectare in 2009. Embarrassed by the suicide, the BJP-led state government has agreed to revise the compensation norms for 191 farmers who were paid less.

As per the new norms, the compensation for irrigated land would be Rs 10 lakh per hectare, semi-orchard land would get Rs 15 lakh per hectare and orchards would get Rs 20 lakh per hectare.

After revising compensation of about Rs 1.5 crore to the kin of Patil, the state has agreed to revise compensation for other farmers too.

“We are going to give compensation to Patil’s family at the end of this month. The survey of his land has been done. He has semi-orchards for which the compensation would be around Rs 15 lakh per hectare. We will also give 10 years interest. The other farmers in the area will also get revised compensation,” said energy minister Chandrashekhar Bavankule. The state government is going to conduct a survey of all other farmers who were affected due to the thermal power plant project. “The process will begin next month after which they will be entitled for the revised compensation,” Mr Bavankude added.  

Patil had committed suicide in Mantralaya on January 22, 2018 by consuming pesticide as he had received only Rs 10 lakh for his five-acre land. The government had acquired Patil’s land for a thermal power project. However, few other farmers in same area had received compensation of Rs 10 lakh per hectare. Patil visited Mantralaya several times with a hope to get more compensation for his land but did not get any response from the government.

Box: Revised Compensation
·Irrigated land: Rs 10 lakh per hectare
·Semi-orchard land: Rs 15