The Bangladesh Government is preparing a new list of farmers affected by the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, who will be eligible to receive compensation. The government has already allocated 28 crore Taka (USD 3 million) for the same and the earlier list of 775 farmers has been set aside.
Sources in the Pabna District Administration told Nuclear Asia that it has already ordered the Upazilla Nirbahi Officer (UNO, Officer responsible for Sub-district) of Iswardi sub-district “to draft a new list”. The new list will be drafted to include all the farmers whose land have been taken over by the government for the first and large-scale nuclear power project in the district. Sources said that the farmers without cultivable land will also receive adequate compensation.
The letter was signed by the Additional District Commissioner of Pabna district (Revenue) Md. Ruhul Amin. The letter also said that a one-time amount of 28 crore Taka has already been allocated for the 775 affected farmers, whose land have been acquired by the government for the project.
The compensation rate for the affected farmers has already been defined by the concerned authority. The compensation rate for one Bigha land (1600 Square yards) cultivating pulse is 21,800 Taka (USD 265), for a land cultivating Khesari Pulse it is 18,900 Taka (USD 230), for a bigha land with gourd cultivation it is 77,900 Taka (USD 945), for one bigha land with sugar-cane it is 30,590 Taka (USD 370) and for a bigha land cultivating papaya and banana it is 191,000 Taka (USD 2,300).
A special committee has been constituted to draw the list. Measures will be taken to ensure that all those affected by the project receive compensation. The compensation process will commence soon after the list is being made.
