The agitation was planned to protest against what the farmers termed ``non-payment of compensation'' assured to them 15 years ago when their land was acquired for setting up the project.

Last week, the agitators had formed a committee called NTPC Virodhi Ladat Samiti to further their agitation. While former MLA Madanlal Farmers Kapadia and Olpad MLA Dhansukh Patel were the convenors, Vasant Patel was the co-convenor of the committee.

According to information, NTPC officials management managed to convince the committee office-bearers that since the matter was sub-judice there was nothing they could do to fulfill their demands immediately.

Senior Manager (P and A) of NTPC C V Tapikar told Express Newsline that when the land was first acquired from residents of Mora, Damka, Bhatlai, Vansva and Suvali villages, the land acquisition officer fixed the rate of compensation at Rs 3 per sq mtr.

Not satisfied with the compensation, the villagers had moved the court. NTPC being the land-user was made a party to the case. The court then increased the rate of compensation to Rs 20 per sq mtr.

However, 22 of the 51 claimants were still not satisfied with the increased compensation and moved the Gujarat High Court seeking that the rate of compensation should be fixed at Rs 200 per sq mtr.

The High Court then directed the NTPC management to deposit the entire Rs 5.12 crore compensation amount with the lower court and asked the court to release only 70 per cent of the compensation amount; two-thirds of it without security and one-third with security and to keep the remaining 30 per cent amount in fixed deposits.

While 22 claimants had moved the High Court, the remaining insisted that entire amount be handed over to them. They also did not collect their compensation amount from the court custody.

Apparently convinced by the NTPC management's explanation that even the compensation amount was in the court custody it could do little to make immediate payment, the samiti decided to put off their proposed agitation.

An NTPC source said the management would seek legal opinion to find whether it was possible to make payment of compensation. But since there is a vacation in the High Court, the matter could be taken up only after the court reopens on June 15.