Mohali, July 29 -- Notwithstanding the growing clamour against Punjab government's land pooling policy, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has set September 30 as the deadline for landowners to apply for it. The policy, launched on June 22, aims to acquire approximately 2,600 acres across Sector 84, 87, 101, 103, 120 and 125 for residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional development. So far, only 100 out of the 8,000 landowners in these areas have applied for the scheme. A senior GMADA official confirmed that September 30 has been set as the deadline for applying for the scheme. "In the past one month, we have received around 100 applications. We are hopeful that more people will come forward in the coming days," theofficial said. The bone of contention is the compensation, which farmers feel is much below the prevailing market rates. Some also feel the government is forcibly evicting them from their land. Harvinder Singh, lambardar of one of the villages that is against the scheme, said, "We are the rightful residents and cultivators of these lands. We do not consent to register our land with GMADA." Many are also apprehensive due to the troubles faced by those who opted for land pooling in the past. Farmers cited the Aerocity project, where land was acquired in 2009 but many landowners are yet to receive full compensation or plot allotments. Farmers further raised concerns about the land acquired for Sectors 88 and 89 in 2011, claiming they were later allotted plots in Sectors 95-A and 95-B, which were largely undeveloped. "The booths and rooms allotted to us are unusable-we can't even rent them for another 15 years," a protester revealed. The opposition parties too have been trying to corner the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state over the scheme. On July 21, senior Congress leaders, including Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, had staged a protest outside PUDA Bhawan in Sector 62, terming the policy a "subtle plot to loot and rob the farmers of their land". "Who would hand over an acre of prime land for just 1,000 square yards?" Warring had asked. Punjab housing and urban development minister Hardeep Singh Mundian defended the policy, stating that the scheme has been designed keeping the welfare of farmers in mind. In wake of the growing resentment on ground, the Punjab cabinet had last week okayed amendments to the policy to offer better terms to landowners. This included an annual livelihood allowance of Rs.1 lakh to landowners until their land is developed - a fivefold increase from Rs.20,000 given by previous governments. The amount will see a 10% annual increment. Farmers can continue farming activities until urban development work starts over their portion of the land. Those offering one kanal land will get an alternative of 125 square yards of residential land and 25 square yards of commercial land per kanal of land in return. Throughout the process, there will be no restriction on the sale or purchase of land. Farmers will be free to buy, sell, or register their land at any time....