GURDASPUR: The attempt to begin work of the passenger terminal building without acquiring the land faced resistance here after a government labour contractor allegedly attempted to destroy the ready-to-harvest cauliflower crop of a farmer.Claiming that a contractor tried to clear his fields, Gurnam Singh, who owns 2.5 acres in Pakhoke in Dera Baba Nanak, said that he and other farmers were forced to protest to prevent people from ploughing his field with a tractor.Gurnam alleged that Lakha Singh, who had volunteered to let begin the construction work of the passenger terminal building on his land, also asked the contractor to remove his tractors and other equipment from his fields. However, Gurbax Singh, son of Lakha, denied having protested for removal of tractors from his fields. “We have voluntarily offered the government to begin work for the Indian side of Kartarpur corridor ,” he said.On March 18, a day before the meeting of technical experts of both India and Pakistan at the Zero Line to discuss road alignment, the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) began work for the passenger terminal building on Lakha’s land by levelling his land.Dera Baba Nanak SDM Gursimran Singh also denied that Lakha backtracked after voluntarily allowing the construction on his field. Stating that his land had almost been cleared, the SDM said that the government would announce the price of the land to be acquired by Monday.Narinder Singh, another farmer whose land is also to be acquired, said, “We trust our government and hope we will get adequate market value along with compensation of our land.”

Stay updated with all the Amritsar Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.