Chandigarh, June 30
The government today succeeded in reaching an agreement with various farmers’ unions, who were spearheading an agitation for the past 18 months to oppose the acquisition of land by Trident group near Barnala.

As part of the accord, the government would give Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of each of the three farmers who died during the agitation. Besides, one member of each family of the deceased farmers would be given a job.

All 59 farmers, who were injured at various stages of the agitation, in lathicharge or otherwise, would be given Rs 25,000 each. Farmers would be given 70 per cent more price than what was earlier offered by the group. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has issued directions to all deputy commissioners to initiate process for the withdrawal of different criminal cases against farmers registered during the agitation. The agricultural debt due in the name of deceased farmers would also be borne by the government.

The agitation had begun following the previous government forcibly tried to acquire the land of farmers of three villages. A number of farmers were arrested and sent to jail.

Badal has assured the farmers that the government would not acquire land for any private company without taking them into confidence.

The Chief Minister has deputed SAD general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra to get settled other demands of the farmers with the management of the group. He has assured the unions to send the case of certain persons of the Kiranjit Kaur action committee to the governor for remitting their sentence in a murder case. The farmers had held that they were falsely implicated in the murder case.

After reaching on accord, the representatives of the farmers announced to suspend their agitation.

Others present on the occasion included chief secretary Ramesh Inder Singh, principal secretary to CM D.S. Guru, secretary, power and irrigation Suresh Kumar, SAD general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra, and farmers’ leaders, including Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, Jhanda Singh Jethuke, Sadhu Singh Takhtpura, Kanwalpreet Singh Pannu, Roop Singh, Bhagat Singh, Balwinder Singh, Bhola Singh, Satnam Singh and Harjit Singh.