Farmers protest outside Shiv Nadar University over land acquisition

Farmer leader Sunil Fauji said the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority had acquired the land of Chithera and Duttawali villages for the development of the Shiv Nadar University

Greater Noida: A group of farmers protested outside a private university in Dadri on Friday and asked the authorities to meet demands, including increased compensation for their land which was acquired for setting up of the university. The protesting farmers had parked their tractors outside the university from 11am to 4pm, blocking vehicular movement in that area.

Protestors outside the Shiv Nadar University on Friday (HT photo)

Sunil Fauji, a farmers’ leader, said that the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDC) had acquired the land of Chithera and Duttawali villages for the development of the Shiv Nadar University (SNU). “They had promised jobs to the local youths, development of the villages, and 10% development plots. The land was acquired in 2007 but the promises have not been fulfilled.”

“In 2013, after the farmers’ protest, the district administration had facilitated a meeting with the university management. They had agreed to provide increased compensation, free education to the farmers’ children, and job opportunities to the local people. The farmers only got the compensation, but the other demands were not met. We have decided to protest till all the demands are met,” Fauji added.

Pradeep Tripathi, station house officer (SHO), Dadri police station, said, “A police team was deployed at the spot to maintain enforcement of law and order. The farmers protested peacefully, and it was called off in the evening... The farmers and university officials have decided to call a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issues.”

A spokesperson of the SNU, Delhi-NCR, said, “We are in talks with the UPSIDC, the district administration, and the Chithera village panchayat to amicably resolve the pending issues of land acquisition and compensation with the farmers. In our discussion with the authorities and the group of farmers on September 3, 2021, it has been decided that the farmers will provide all the requisite documents of unresolved cases of compensation to the UPSIDC to reach a resolution soon.”