The Hindu, 6 June 2015, New Delhi: Members of the National Alliance of People’s Movement on Friday demanded that the Joint Parliamentary Committee scrutinising the Land Acquisition Bill extend the date for receiving representations from the members of the public. The deadline ends next week.

Addressing a press conference here, Hannan Mollah of the All-India Kisan Sabha, Bhupendra Rawat, Satyavan, Roma and Jarjun said the committee should visit each State and hold public hearings to assess what people want. “For this they should take as much time as it takes rather than just give one month’s time for people to respond,” Mr. Mollah said.

He said his organisation would spell out its objections to the Bill, which he said, was against farmers and in favour of corporates.

Mr. Rawat said NAPM does not want fertile land acquired, land on which no activity happens should be returned to owners, there should be consent from land owners and the social impact assessment should be done. “There should be ‘jan sunwai’ of all sections not just farmers.”

The Land Acquisition Bill was referred to a joint panel of Parliament in the just-concluded budget session in the face of stiff resistance from the Opposition.

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