BIJNOR: Nineteen farmers from three villages of Amroha were booked for stopping construction work on the Chandausi branch of the Madhya Ganga canal. They have been demanding higher compensation for their land according to the new acquisition policy.The farmers from Kubi, Rampur Dhana and Mohanpur villages have been staging a protest in Kubi area of Amroha district for the past 11 months.Talks between farmers and the administration have failed thrice. After the third meeting on October 29, the irrigation department initiated work on the canal but on Sunday, the farmers stopped it.A senior officer said land for the project was acquired in 2012 and farmers were provided compensation according to the land acquisition rules in place then. In 2014, the law was amended and as per the new policy, compensation was to be four times the circle rate of land. However, these farmers are not eligible for increased compensation as their land was acquired before 2014.Circle rates are minimum government-defined prices at whichsale or transfer of a plot, built-up house, apartment, government property or land take place.Irrigation department SDO Sanjay Sharma said, "We were digging the canal on acquired land but farmers stopped the work and flattened it. They also filled pits we had dug and therefore we filed a complaint."BKU district president Rampal Singh claimed the land was acquired without providing proper compensation and now officials are building the canal forcibly. "The farmers have been on a dharna for 11 months and now theyve been booked. We will protest until our demands are met," he added. The 66-km Madhya Ganga canal, which starts at Bijnor Barrage, will irrigate Bijnor and Amroha districts, and Chandausi area in Sambhal district. It will lessen the impact of floods, especially during monsoon. Officials said work on the project, which includes 250 km of smaller canals, began in 2007-08. The main canal and its Bahjoi branch has been constructed.

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