ગુજરાતી
English
No solution shown for 20 points
Dilip Patel
Ahmedabad, 4 July 2026
5 lakh farmers are going to be affected by the power line. Bhupendra Patel’s government has not talked about finding a permanent solution.
The Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, is a 140-year-old historical law from the British era, which applies to compensation for power lines/transmission towers.
Private power companies want the power of “telegraph authority” under Section 164 of the Act, which only government companies can ask for. Therefore this law should not be used.
“Right of use” – In a right of way, the farmer remains the owner of the land, but the line passes over it.
– Compensation = Area under heap only + crop loss. The law does not provide compensation for the market value of the land.
Even if the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 is taken for the substation, the compensation will be less if the British “Land Acquisition Act” 1894 is applied.
The new Act 2013 came but was not implemented. Make it enforceable. 2013 Right to Fair Compensation 4 times compensation in rural areas.
But since electricity companies work under the Telegraph Act 1885, the 2013 Act is in favor of the companies. Not in favor of farmers.
Therefore, remove Telegraph Act 1885 and implement Land Acquisition Act 2013.
5 lakh farmers of 145 lines are going to be affected by the new power line of the private company. 25 lakh farmers are affected by the government company’s line. Therefore, complaints are going to increase next year, hence Electricity Complaint Commission should be formed.
Electricity compensation policy was not made. Make that policy.
Despite the court order, the agricultural policy of 56 lakh farmers of Gujarat has not been made. Like industry policy.
Below are 20 unresolved issues related to power lines after the government’s announcement, the government should resolve them.
1 – Farmers wanted commercial returns of 4 times the market value of the land. Gave government twice.
If there is any objection regarding the amount of compensation, then a meeting should be organized between the Collector, the Company and the farmer in the presence of the farmer, farmer association, lawyer, farmer, any individual, local MLA, District Panchayat member, Taluka Panchayat member, Village Sarpanch, Mamlatdar.
2 – Market value means the average of 3 years of sale documents of the land sold around the date of acquisition as per the government. Documentation reveals only 10 to 25 percent of the reality of land sales. So giving returns 4 times of actual sales.
2 – (a) – If a farmer dies due to electric shock, Rs. The government will give Rs 15 crore. In case of injury Rs. 10 lakh and in case of permanent disability Rs. 8 crore compensation should be given.
2 – (b) – 4 times compensation for 30 years on damage caused by fire caused by power line or by company employees passing through the field for line maintenance.
2 – (a) – Permanent loss of horticultural areas for up to 30 years because cultivation of tall trees below the line is prohibited.
2 – (d) – When horticultural or agricultural trees are cut in a field, Rs. Rs 2 lakh should be given.
3- Before permission was given to lay transmission lines and now permission is to be given to lay 50 lines, the area of land acquired and the right-of-way (i.e. over which the wires are to be laid) and the survey number of each farmer should be advertised in the newspapers.
4- Information about the route map of the power line, the survey number of the land, how many square meters of space the pole will cover, how much area the corridor will cover, which survey number will have the wire on top without the pole, how much area will be affected and how much compensation the company will give to the farmers, should be given in the announcement.
A copy of the route with the signature and seal of the Collector will be given to the elected Sarpanch, Talati, Kisan, Gauchar, Padar or Badara of each Gram Panchayat.
5 – Lines could have been laid in the desert of Kutch but were laid in the fields for the benefit of Adani and Reliance companies. Therefore, if there is a survey of alternative routes, its details should be advertised in newspapers.
6- Before laying the line, a thorough study should be done regarding social and economic and environmental aspects of humans, villages, agriculture, farms, livelihoods, forest areas, cattle, livestock etc.
A copy of the route signed and coined by the Collector should be given to the elected Sarpanch, Talati, Kisan, Gauchar, Padar or Bada jurisdiction of each Gram Panchayat.
7- All matters should be posted in public places like village notice boards, temples, bus stands. Talati should be entrusted with the responsibility of informing all the affected people.
8-Potentially affected farmers should be given 30 days time to raise their objection in writing regarding the power line route and survey number. The objections raised by the farmers should be heard publicly, clarifications should be given to the farmers publicly by the companies and officials against the objections.
9- Before approving the power line route, after resolving the objections, a meeting of the District Land Pricing Committee should be organized and the current market price should be determined.
10- Give farmers the option of monthly rent or lump sum compensation.
11 – Consider the market value of up to 30 years in determining the value of land.
12- The market value of the land through which the line passes reduces by 25 percent to 50 percent. This should be considered as 4 times compensation.
13- Compensation for loss of production in the area
…should be included. Since farmers will face crop losses over a period of 30 years, compensation for this 30-year loss or the future market value of the crops must be calculated.
14 – When determining the value of trees, factors such as their oxygen-generating capacity over 30 years, their potential market value during that period, and the value of the timber after 30 years must all be taken into account.
15 – Once the new market value is determined, the compensation amount should be calculated in accordance with the Land Acquisition Act, 2013. Farmers must be provided with written details regarding the total amount payable to them under this Act. 16 – All orders for providing police protection should be halted. Currently, if the government wishes to continue this service, the company pays for the police deployment; however, the government should provide police protection to farmers free of charge.
A legal rule should be established requiring that police protection orders be issued only with the signatures of the State Home Secretary and the Chief Secretary. Furthermore, the approval of the local MLA should be mandatory for any order granting police protection to private companies. (Translated from Gujarati; please refer to the original report.)
