Lok Adalat: 122 farmers who lost land to Gokul Barrage get

Damodarpura village in Mathura Tahsil wears a festive look today as National Lok Adalat here ruled in favourof 122 farmers seeking compensation against their land inundated due to construction of Gokul Barrage on Yamuna river here.
A sum of over Rs 32.15 crore has been paid as compensation to 122 farmers whose land has been inundated due to the Barrage, Pawan Kumar Srivastava, Civil judge and secretary Vidhik Seva Pradhikaran, Mathura, said.
The Adalat, held on December 12, also ruled Rs 2.77 crore be paid to 12 farmers as compensation for their land acquired for construction of National Highway, he said.

Moti Lal of Damodarpura is among the lucky farmers who received the compensation. "Now I shall purchase land and plough it again. My lucky days have now started as my dream of farming again has been fulfilled," he said.
"I would invest the money in some business in order to overcome the poverty I had been living in for the past 17 years," said Nand Kishor Nishad of the village.
Preetam Nishad's dream of marrying his sister and getting his children admitted in a good school would now be realised.

Kalavati, a widow, said she was very happy. "Now I would marry my son and dream of having daughter-in-law and a grand son appears near," she said.

Prabhu Dayal, Bhagchandra, Hari Singh, Bacchu, Maya Devi, Bhagwan Devi, Vishu Ram and others are thrilled with the compensation.
Inaugurated in 1998, the barrage became curse for 943 families whose land got inundated due to "defective" design. Their land was initially not acquired for the barrage.
The 17 years of battle involved demonstration, road blockade, gherao, Dharna, lathi charge and jail.
Over a year ago, decisive agitation started under the leadership of Kunvar Singh Nishad, a BJP activist, though his own party did not support him.
"Lathi charge on peaceful protestoers, followed by three-month jail to 11 of us, including me, proved a turning point. The support of farmers and intelligentsia gave me strength. It is good the farmers have been paid compensation four times the circle rate," Nishad, state general secretary of BJYM,who led the agitation during the final stage, said.

"But for the personal pains of district magistrate Rajesh Kumar, speedy payment would not have materialised. I hope speedy action of the administration, would further pave the way for disbursement of compensation, to rest of the farmers," Kunvar Singh Nishad concluded.