Farmers Paid Compensation, Flipkart Land Cleared In Haringhata

Farmers receiving cheques from MLA Nilama Nag and Nadia ZP member Chanchal DebnathFarmers receiving cheques from MLA Nilama Nag and Nadia ZP member Chanchal Debnath

Haringhata, March 3: State government on Sunday handed over cheques of compensation to 121 farmers who have been cultivating on s piece of 100 acre land in Nadia’s Haringhata which ecommerce giant Flipkart had procured to set up a logistic hub. 

The payment of compensation to the farmers ensured a clear land which eventually paved way for commencement of the project work by second week of March as wished by the company.

On Sunday the 121 farmers of Ainshpur, Panchpot, Balindi and other  village were handed over the cheques in presence of Flipkart officials at the Haringhata Block Development office. Senior officials of state commerce and industries department, WBIDC, Nadia district administration and local Trinamul MLA Nilima Nag and zilla parishad member Chanchal Debnath were also present at the programme.

Sub Divisional officer of Kalyani Unis Rishin Ismail said, “The farmers have removed their harvest. They are very happy receiving compensations. The land is clear now and Flipkart can begin work there”.

The land located within 358 acres Haringhata Industrial Park originally owned by West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation , which was sold to Flipkart in last year. The company had announced that it would set up Rupees 991-crore logistic hub creating employment opportunity for about 18000 people. 

On February 19, a four member Flipkart team visited the land under Birohi-1 gram panchayat when they urged the state government officials to clear the  land of all cultivation. The state government assured Flipkart to clear the land so that it can begin work by March.

But,  decision to clear the land created problem to the farmers who claimed huge financial loss if their crops and vegetation were removed premature.

Nadia zilla Parishad member Chanchal Debnath said, “The industrial land was lying unused for long on which the farmers were cultivating. So we proposed the state government to consider their financial loss and to arrange for compensation. It is great that the state government considered their problem sympathetically and paid them compensation”.

“Today 121 farmers were paid grossly about Rupees 20-lakhs. They have already cleared the land and received the cheques. Flipkart officials said that they want to begin work by early March so we cleared the land and completed payment of compensation right today”, said an elated SDO Kalyani Unis Rishin Ismail. “The Flipkart officials  visited the land today and expressed their satisfaction”, the SDO added further.

Nurul Islam, another farmer said, “I am thankful to government as it considered our problem”

Flipkart is expected to complete the logistic hub hopefully by the beginning of 2021, through one of its subsidiary Instakart Services Private Limited,.

Last year Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra told that the state government has approved a proposal submitted by Flipkart for an investment of Rupees 991-crore to set up the logistic hub. 

The Haringhata hub will be the second such hub of the company after Bangalore, which would be developed to provide service to the market in the entire eastern region. 

 The identified land of the project is around 40km away from city airport and well connected with NH12 as well as Kalyani Expressway. 

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