CHANDIGARH :The Morcha (Committee of Farmers today, withdrew its agitation against the construction of Sutley Yumna Link Canal thereby ending a six month fight which had threatened the Punjab Accord. The Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr. Surjit Singh Barnala, announced yesterday night that according to a memorandum of settlement signed by the Punjab Government and the action committee after a three hours Jong meeting, here yesterday, compensation of irrigated land to be acquired for the construction of SYL Canal has been increased from 85 thousand rupees to one Lakh per acre and certain other benefits have been assured to the affected farmers. He said that the present alignment of the Canal will be taken up at full pace. However, Punjab unit of Bhartiya Kisan Union which had led the agitation against the construction of Canal in Ropar District maintained that negotiation with the Government had failed because of the administration’s attitude. The BKU (Bhartiya Kisan Union) could not compromise without the change in the alignment of the Canal. The Morcha Action Committee consisted of representatives of farmers whose land was to be acquired for the construction of the Canal on the KM. 26 to KG 76 of the alignment Ropar district.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 2, 1986
