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U.P. farmers call off stir

LUCKNOW: The farmers’ agitation over the compensation for acquired land and the death of five of their kinsmen in police firing in Ghorhi Bachhedha village in Greater Noida (Gautam Budhha Nagar district), Uttar Pradesh, was withdrawn on Wednesday.

The development came in the wake of an agreement reached between the State government and the farmers’ leaders in New Delhi on Wednesday night. The State government was represented at the talks by Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh and Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Vijay Shankar Pandey.

The deal comes days before Chief Minister Mayawati’s visit to Greater Noida for the inauguration of the Gautam Buddha University on August 23. The opening session of the university is slated to begin this month.

An official spokesman said here that the government agreed to raise the ex-gratia for the next of kin of the deceased from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh and assured employment for one member of the victims’ families. The cost of treatment of the seriously injured farmers in clashes and police firing would be borne by the Greater Noida Development Authority. The damaged tractors and other vehicles would be examined by the District Magistrate of GB Nagar to assess their value for payment of compensation.

Regarding the compensation for land, Secretary, Information, Diwakar Tripathi, told The Hindu that though payment would be paid at the existing rate (Rs. 450 per square metre), the farmers would be given additional financial help through the judicial process. The Cabinet Secretary had been authorised by the Chief Minister to work out the modalities.

Significantly, two major demands of the Opposition parties were accepted by the government.

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