To discuss demands,Tappal farmers called to Lucknow

“Our demands of the farmers are very simple. We do not want to part with our lands and want compensation for the crop till the time the government does not allow us to plough our fields. Some of the farmers had approached the Allahabad High Court in July this year with these demands and court had directed the state government to consider their grievances by giving them a full opportunity of hearing,” said Satyendra Pal Singh,one of the farmers in Tappal.

Another farmer,Narayan Sharma,who has received invitation by the government and was also party to the writ petition filed in the High Court,said: “On July 21,2011,the Allahabad court had directed the government to give us a hearing for our grievances within the next one month. While district level officers came forward to discuss the issue with us,there were no concrete efforts. For the first time,we have been called to Lucknow in this regard. We hope that the government would listen to our grievances as we do not wish to part away with our land.”

He informed that all these 47 farmers,who have got the invitation for dialogue are petitioners in the writ petition.

On one hand,the farmers claim that the notification for land acquisition has been done by the government but the physical possession of the land lies with the farmers and the state should withdraw its notification by invoking provisions of section 48 of the Land Acquisition Act 1894. The government,however,claims that the land is under their possession and with 80 per cent of the farmers having accepted the compensation,remaining should not object.

Tappal had seen violent clash between the farmers and the police on August 14,2010 over land acquisition. The land was to be acquired for township project of Jaypee Group. However,after the clash that claimed three lives,the government had withdrawn the township scheme in Tappal along Yamuna Expressway but it was later restored claiming that majority of the farmers want the scheme for the development of the region.