Fatehabad: Work for the setting up of the proposed nuclear power plant at Gorakhpur by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), which is already behind schedule, is likely to be delayed further now. The NPCIL has not been able to deposit funds for distribution among farmers as compensation for their land with the district authorities though three months have elapsed since notification under Section 9 of the Land Acquisition Act was issued in February this year. The NPCIL will get possession of land only after the compensation awarded to farmers is distributed and no construction work will be possible before actual possession of land. The district authorities had planned that they would take possession of land immediately after harvesting of wheat, but now, farmers have already started sowing the next crop on their land. If the possession is not taken within the next few days, the authorities may have to wait for another six months, till the farmers picked their cotton in October-November. Earlier, the authorities had issued the notification to acquire 1,503 acres, four kanals and 19 marla of agriculture land for the proposed project - 1313 acres, five kanals, eight marlas from Gorakhpur, 185 acres, three kanals, seven marlas from Badopal and four acres, three kanals and 14 marla from Kajal Heri village of the district on July 29, 2010. The authorities had offered Rs 34 lakh per acre for all categories of land to its owners in February this year. The price includes Rs 20 lakh per acre as compensation, 30 per cent solatium, 12 per cent per annum interest on this amount from the date of notification and 20 per cent of the core price as no-litigation bonus. The NPCIL, however, was yet to give its concurrence to this price, as its officials, who attended the meeting, were not themselves competent to take this decision. Sources said the NPCIL Board, which takes such decisions, was not itself empowered to take a decision of such huge financial implications and for that approval of the Ministry of Atomic Energy was sought. Though the ministry cleared the file sometime in April this year, the board has not been able to hold its meeting first due to the retirement of a senior functionary of the Atomic Energy Commission in April and now due to the impending retirement of a senior functionary of the NPCIL later this month. In a meeting to review the progress of the project, the DC, ML Kaushik, is said to have expressed his displeasure at the inordinate delay in the deposit of money by the NPCIL. NPCIL fails to deposit funds for farmers. The NPCIL has not been able to deposit funds for distribution among farmers as compensation for their land. Farmers have started sowing the next crop on their land.