Farmers demonstrating against delay in compensation in Madhya Pradesh continued their agitation as they stood in water fighting poor health for the ninth day in a row.
The farmers have been standing put in chest deep water for over a week now neglecting their deteriorating health. Their feet have turned white and are badly crinkled.
While some are suffering from high fever, skin on the limbs of others has started peeling off.
The agitation began in 2007 when the state government acquired lands of farmers to build the Omkareshwar dam on Narmada river. The farmers were in turn given money for their lands.
However, the farmers filed a petition in the Supreme Court and demanded that they be given lands somewhere else. Following the orders of the apex court, the government agreed to provide five acres of land to each farmer who would return half the amount of money paid to him by the government.
Several farmers did return the money but the lands they got in turn were infertile.
A farmer, Tula Ram, said that his land was his sole mean of livelihood and now he was left with nothing to feed his family.
"Where I am standing right now is my own land my total land spans 4.5 acres. The government had promised to give land in exchange of land. I had returned Rs 2,49,600 but still all I got in return was all this water. I will not leave till I am given land in return for my land," said Ram.
Farmers also want the water level in the dam to be brought down from 191 metres to 189 metres as they allege that the increased level has inundated a large portion of farming land.
However, Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Khandwa, S.S. Baghel, refuted the charges.
"With the water level in the dam being raised to 191 litres, there has been no damage of any sort and no homes have been submerged," said Baghel.
