Farmers protest outside GB Nagar admin offices: ‘Act on land acquisition issues’

Farmers at protest demanded 10% of the acquired land in the form of developed plots, a government assurance they claim has been delayed for year

Hundreds of farmers of Gautam Budh Nagar protested at the Greater Noida Collectorate in Surajpur, and the Noida Authority office in Sector 6 on Monday to highlight their long-standing demands mainly related to land acquisition by authorities.

Farmers staging a protest at Greater Noida collectorate in Surajpur, Greater Noida on Monday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The groups, who congregated under the banners of Kisan Sabha, Kisan Parishad, Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Morcha, and Samyukt Kisan Morcha, raised slogans to demand releasing a February 2024 formed high-power committee’s recommendations to address their grievances regarding the acquisition.

“Even the committee’s recommendations, submitted long ago, have not been made public, reflecting the government’s disregard for the issues of Gautam Budh Nagar farmers. We won’t back down until we receive our rightful compensation and plots,” said Brijesh Bhati, a protesting farmer, at the Greater Noida Collectorate.

Their other demands include 10% developed plot of the land acquired by the authorities be allocated to farmers, a government “assurance” that farmers claim remains unfulfilled. To be sure, the demand has been pending for years with the farmers arguing that the compensation and land allocation offered by the authorities are unfair and insufficient, considering the high value of the developed land.

Rupesh Verma, district president, Kisan Sabha said, “For 15 years, farmers have been fighting for their rightful 10% plot allocation and enforcement of the new land acquisition law. Even the leaseback of inhabited lands, which was ruled last year, has been intentionally delayed by the government.”

To be sure, the high-power committee was formed over local farmers’ demands for better compensation and land allocation. It was set up following protests from over 140 villages in Noida and Greater Noida.

It aimed to resolve disputes related to land acquisition, ensuring fair compensation and allotment of developed plots to the affected farmers. The committee includes representatives from the Noida and Greater Noida authorities, along with other key stakeholders, said officials.

Meanwhile, at Noida authority office, hundreds of farmers led by organisations such as the Kisan Sabha, and the Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Morcha, alleged that despite multiple promises there has been no transparency or progress to address their concerns.

The Gautam Budh Nagar administration, meanwhile, said that they are resolved to address farmers’ concerns.

“The farmers want that the recommendations by the high-power committee be shared with them. However, this cannot be done at the district level, as only the government is authorised for it. The district administration cannot reveal the details. And it remains the government’s prerogative to consider and announce whether farmers’ demands will be accepted,” said Manish Kumar Verma, district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar.