Bastar farmers to get back acquired lands

Bhopal: Chhattisgarh government on Monday set in motion the process to return the lands acquired from local tribal farmers in Lohandiguda in Bastar district for setting up a project by Tata Steel.

Tata Steel, which had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Chhattisgarh government in 2005 to set up an integrated steel plant in Lohandiguda at a cost of `19,500 crore, shelved its project in 2016.

The Congress had backed the growing demand by the local farmers whose lands were acquired for the project, to return their lands.

The previous Chhattisgarh government had, however, rejected the demand saying that the lands acquired in ten villages in Lohandiguda have been handed over to state industrial development corporation after Tata Steel withdrew from the project.

Around 2044 hectares were acquired from 1707 farmers in ten villages under Lohandiguda block for the project. The farmers whose lands were acquired were also given due compensation.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday ordered the state administration to begin the exercise to return the lands to the original owners.

“The state cabinet in its first meeting is most likely to approve the transfer of land to the local farmers,” a senior officer of state government told this newspaper on Monday.