These firms were allotted hundreds of acres of land at a pittance. Many have been promised jobs but few have actually got them,” he said. Since the factories did not honour their commitments, the government should take over the lands and return them to farmers,” he warned.
The cement factories were also causing environmental havoc, making life miserable for locals, he added. Farmers who are suffering from the negative effects of cement factories within a radius of 10 kms should be paid compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre annually.
