UP farmers ask Tikait to take over agitation

The farmers of Aligarh, Mathura and Agra have formed a joint action committee to continue their agitation to seek an enhancement in the compensation given to them for the land acquired by the Mayawati government to build the 165-km long Noida - Agra Yamuna Expressway.

They also reportedly decided to hand over the leadership of the agitation to powerful Bhartiya Kisan Union chief Mahendra Singh Tikait. The committee has already extended an invitation to Tikait, whose arrival is awaited on Friday.

At least 500 farmers continued with their indefinite round-the-clock 'dharna' at Tappal  , the epicentre of the three-week old agitation in Aligarh district

The demonstrators also included a number of women, who are demanding parity in compensation with the affected farmers in Greater Noida.

Bowing down to the agitators' demands, the state government had hiked the compensation amount from Rs 449 per square metre to Rs 570 per square metre. But the farmers are demanding a compensation amount of Rs 880 per square metre that was paid to farmers in Greater Noida.

The state government has to acquire 2,500 hectares to construct the expressway. That includes 500 hectares each in Noida, Aligarh, Agra and 1,000 hectares in Gautam Buddha
Nagar.

The expressway, which is expected to cut down the driving time between New Delhi and Agra to only 90 minutes, will pass through Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida), Aligarh, Mahamaya Nagar (Hathras) and Mathura, and involves the acquisition of land in 115 villages.