Involuntary Displacement and Resettlement — Policy and ... - CEPA

It would have been good if I could have bought a land with thecompensation. But there wasn’t a land here to be bought for that amountof money. The price of land went up. And getting compensation ininstallments was also a problem. If I got it all at once I could have tried tomake arrangements. First I got Rs. 90,000 and then another Rs. 34,000;six months later I got another Rs.15,000.- Agricultural land owner, male, age 64The process of compensation was sometimes delayed and it could be paid inseveral installments (Refer to phase 3 reports.) In such cases, there is lessinvestment, with people using the money for day-to-day and family expenses suchas funerals or weddings.We wanted to buy land, but my wife fell sick and we spent it on that. Whensome money comes to hand, a way to spend it also comes.- Agricultural land owner, male, age 66Ability to maintain same market and production variablesAccess to production resources and labour, and access to markets arevariables that play an important role in the development of a livelihoodactivity.The replacement option is often dependant on the availability and price ofland. In the vicinity of the development project there is a high demand forland, first as a result of demand from those who have to relocate, andsecond, due to the development of the area as a result of the STDP.This has particularly impacted on the commercial properties. People havelost their networks and supplier bases and moving to smaller spaces hasrestricted their activities.I ran the business and my husband also helped me. We sold groceries,bread, hoppers, string hoppers… We received a good income from it. Itwas close to the road, so we had customers. We did the business for a fewdays here but stopped. There is no space here or enough people to buygoods. We built our house with our total compensation. My husband’sincome is now the only income.- Commercial property owner, female, age 4453