More illegal farmhouses on Yamuna floodplains identified

the Noida authority on Friday identified farmhouses which are not covered in any court stay order. No farmhouse owner filed their representation with the authority, as directed by the court, on the same day. “We have not received any representation today,” said Prasoon Dwivedi, officer on special duty, Noida authority

The Allahabad high court on Friday reiterated its June 14 order in response to pleas by seven owners of farmhouses on the Yamuna floodplains, who filed an urgent petition seeking relief from demolition orders issued by the Noida authority.

A demolition drive in Noida. The Noida authority has razed 130 farmhouses in the last one month. (Sunil Ghosh/ HT)

The court has asked the petitioners to file their representation before the authority within 10 days for disposal of their grievances, if any.

On June 14, the court, in response to a petition filed by the Harit Kisan Kalyan Samiti, directed the authority to settle all cases related to 53 farmhouse owners within the next 20 days. It also asked parties to maintain the status quo at the site.

“The matter is extremely urgent as there is threat of demolition of the house of the petitioner. The case was heard in the presence of learned counsel for the parties,” said Ashish Kumar Singh, counsel for the petitioner.

According to AK Rai, additional chief standing counsel appearing for the state-respondents, and Anuj Srivastava for the Noida authority, the present matter is covered under the court order passed on 14 June.

“We will file our representation with the authority after the high court order,” said a petitioner.

Meanwhile, the Noida authority on Friday identified farmhouses which are not covered in any court stay order. No farmhouse owner filed their representation with the authority, as directed by the court, on the same day. “We have not received any representation today,” said Prasoon Dwivedi, officer on special duty, Noida authority.

The authority conducted four demolition drives and grazed down 130 farmhouses in the last one month. Any construction on the Yamuna floodplains is unauthorised as it damages ecology, said officials. “Only agricultural activities can be carried out on the floodplains,” said Ritu Maheshwari, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Noida authority.

On the other hand, farmers, who have been traditionally farming in the floodplains have also decided to file a case with the Allahabad high court against the farmhouses.

“We have decided to file a writ in the Allahabad high court demanding complete demolition of the farmhouses from the flood zone area of Yamuna. The land mafia, in connivance with influential people, have destroyed the ecology. They have erected huge permanent gates blocking the free movement of traditional farmers, who cannot carry on with agricultural activities on their ancestral land,” said Tikam Singh, a farmer from Nagli Wazidpur village, Sector 135.