Punjab govt to take up compensation of border farmers: Badal

Chandigarh, Mar 14 (UNI) The Punjab government will seek central compensation for farmers whose land was acquired at the time of partition for creating a 11-foot wide passage along the Indo-Pakistan border in the state.

"I have asked the concerened official to take up this matter with the central government", he told the state assembly here today.

In a reply to Virsa Singh Valthoa (SAD) during question hour, the chief minister said that the state did not pay any compensation as the land was not acquired by the state governmment.

On the issue of compensation to farmers of the border areas on whose land temporary defences were erected during the time of the Kargil war, Revenue Minister Ajit Singh Kohar said that no such aid was given as no such structures were constructed.

However central compensation was given to those farmers in whose agricultural fields, landmines were planted during the Kargil war, he told Mr Valthoa who had raised the issue.

UNI HS MMS1658