UP govt forms panel to address farmers' protest grievances

The Uttar Pradesh government has taken a bold step towards addressing the longstanding grievances of farmers involved in protests.

A committee has been formed, tasked with delivering a comprehensive report within a month.

Abhishek Prakash, Secretary of the Industrial Development Department, on Tuesday issued the directive.

On Tuesday, police detained more than a hundred protesters, including leaders of farmers' groups, in Gautam Buddh Nagar, as reported by Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh.

The protestors were demanding compensation for land previously acquired by the government. Women and elderly participants detained during the protest were later released. 

The committee's primary task is to examine complaints from farmers about land acquisition and compensation disputes. It will also review matters from earlier government orders dated February 21, 2024, and August 27, 2024.

The panel includes the Special Secretary Revenue, Additional Chief Executive Officer of UPEIDA, Deputy Secretary Industrial Development, a district administration representative from the affected area, and a local authority representative. This group will conduct hearings with stakeholders and verify past decisions to create a plan for resolving the farmers' concerns.

The committee aims to address grievances by engaging with stakeholders and reviewing previous decisions.

Its goal is to develop a strategy that resolves the issues raised by the protesting farmers effectively. 

The government hopes this initiative will lead to a peaceful resolution of the ongoing protests.

The focus remains on ensuring fair compensation for affected farmers while addressing their concerns comprehensively. 

The committee's findings will be crucial in shaping future policies related to land acquisition and compensation in Uttar Pradesh.

Farmers from different parts of Uttar Pradesh demanding adequate compensation for their lands acquired by the government marched towards Delhi on Monday but were stopped at the Noida-Delhi border where they sat on a dharna.

The farmers said if their demands were not met within seven days, they would again march towards Delhi.

Massive traffic snarls caused inconvenience to commuters crossing the Delhi-Noida borders as police set up multiple layers of barricades and deployed heavy security to stop the march, which coincided with Parliament's Winter Session.

In a statement, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) -- an umbrella organisation of 12 farmers' bodies -- said the farmers had decided to stay at Dalit Prerana Sthal for the time being following assurances from the authorities that the Chief Secretary would meet to "discuss and settle their demands".

It said the agitation would continue till their demands were met.

"The Yogi Adityanath government has failed to ensure justice for the farmers. The BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government has not revised the land circle rate since 2017 and landowners have been denied adequate, lawful compensation and other benefits assured by the Land Acquisition Act, 2013," it said.

According to the Bharatiya Kisan Parishad, farmers from 20 districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Aligarh and Agra, took part in the march.

Meanwhile, the SKM said in a release that it would hold protests all over Uttar Pradesh against "privatisation of electricity" on Wednesday.

Due to the march and checking by police, commuters travelling via the Chilla border, DND flyway, Delhi Gate, and Kalindi Kunj faced heavy traffic for hours.

A group of farmers from Punjab, led by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), has called for a march towards Delhi on December 6. The group has been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13.