Bhagalpur, Aug. 2: The district administration has decided to impose a penalty of Rs 50,000 per acre on farmers who have encroached upon land of Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (Biada) in Kahalgaon.

Divisional commissioner Minhaj Alam today said the decision was taken during a high-level meeting convened last evening with civil and police officers. According to the decisions taken at the meeting, Alam has asked Biada officers to issue notices to the farmers who had taken compensation against their land but were still tilling the plots.

“Earlier, the district administration had collected Rs 50,000 from the encroachers who had been continuing farming on land acquired by the government,” he said.

On the other hand, the administration is mulling deployment of armed forces to stop forceful encroachment. It has sought an approval from the state headquarters for the deployment of two companies of armed police forces.

Alam said superintendent of police (Bhagalpur) K.S. Anupam has been urged to arrest wanted criminals like Om Prakesh Yadav for instigating land disputes. “Anupam has been requested not only to nab the farmers violating Section 144 of CrPC on Biada land but also to intensify patrolling on the plots in Kahalgaon,” the officer added.

General manager, district industry department, RCP Singh said: “We expect the force to arrive and work for the textile park to speed up after Shravani Mela.”