Fatehabad, July 18
Very few farmers turned up to receive their cheques on the first day today after the authorities announced award to compensate farmers whose land has been acquired for the upcoming nuclear power plant at Gorakhpur in Fatehabad.

Out of over 1,505 acres of land acquired for the project, owners of nearly 42 acres turned up to receive their cheques today putting a big question mark on the official claims that a majority of farmers were willing to give their lands.

The District Revenue Officer - cum - Land Acquisition Collector, Fatehabad, Ram Singh Bishnoi, announced award for 1,503 acres, 4 kanals and 19 marla of a land acquired for the project.

Out of this, 1,313 acre, 5 kanal and 8 marla falls in Gorakhpur; 185 acre, 3 kanal and 7 marla in Badopal and 4 acre, 3 kanal and 14 marla in Kajal Heri village of this district.

As per the award, the farmers will get Rs 20 lakh per acre for their land.

Besides the compensation, the farmers will also get 30 per cent of the compensation (Rs 6 lakh per acre) as solatium - compensation for injured feelings. The farmers will also get 12 per cent per annum interest from July 29, 2010, when the authorities issued notice under section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act till date, which comes out to be Rs 4,73,101 per acre.

The farmers, who give an undertaking that they will not approach courts, will be given no-litigation incentive at a rate of 20 per cent of the compensation i.e. Rs 4 lakh per acre.

“Initially, we are giving cheques for Rs 30,73,101 per acre and those who come to us with undertakings will be given Rs 4 lakh per acre more,” said an official spokesperson.

The Deputy Commissioner ML Kaushik said the authorities were not perturbed over low turnout of farmers and he expressed confidence that more farmers will turn up tomorrow.

He said besides the compensation, the farmers would also get Rs 21,000 per annum per acre for the next 33 year with an annual increment of Rs 750 per month as annuity as per the land acquisition policy of the state. The agitating farmers claimed that only those persons whose lands were either sand dunes or prone to water logging had come forward to take their cheques.

While over 185 acre land falling in Badopal has sandy soil, at least 200 acres falling in Gorakhpur is prone to waterlogging and does not produce much crops.