Noida authority demolishes farmhouses on Yamuna floodplains

The authority officials said owners of farmhouses were found their properties for commercial purposes and have done permanent constructions using brick and mortar

The Noida authority on Monday said it has demolished at least 50 farmhouses on Yamuna riverbed that were built illegally, without permission from the urban town planning department.

This is the first demolition drive after the Yamuna flooding in July this year damaged farmhouses and other structures built on the Yamuna riverbed and floodplains. (HT Photo)

This is the first demolition drive after the Yamuna flooding in July this year damaged farmhouses and other structures built on the Yamuna riverbed and floodplains.

Following the flooding in the Yamuna, all farmhouse occupants had to vacate their houses and take shelter in other areas. They could return to these farmhouses only after a month when the water receded and the river went back to normal.

The authority has multiple times issued public and individual notices to these farmhouse owners stating that the construction of the farmhouses on the Yamuna bed and floodplains is an illegal activity as it not only damages the ecosystem of the river but also pollute the groundwater table.

“We have demolished 50 farmhouses, which were built illegally and the action will continue as per the law and the directions of senior officials,” said KV Singh, project engineer, Noida authority.

The authority officials said owners of farmhouses were found their properties for commercial purposes and have done permanent constructions using brick and mortar.

“These owners have built swimming pools, banquet halls, boundary walls, clubs, restaurants, cafes and residential spaces. As a result, they dump their sewer directly into the river, thereby contaminating the groundwater and Yamuna water, in a flagrant violation of the directions issued by the National Green Tribunal,” said Umesh Kumar, a social activist working for environmental issues.

There are at least 2,000 farmhouses illegally built on the Yamuna floodplains, said the authority officials.

On June 21, 2022, the Allahabad high court had directed the Noida authority to serve individual notices (instead of public notices) to owners of farmhouses and address their grievances before demolition. Several of them filed petitions against this and their cases are either pending before the Allahabad high court or the Noida authority is looking into them.

The authority in May 2022 demolished at least 130 farmhouses as these were built without a sanctioned map approved.

The owners of farmhouses told the court that they were not served individual notices, nor given proper time to reply before the demolition drive, thereby violating the natural justice provisions. The high court on June 21, 2022, directed the farmhouse owners to file petitions before the Noida authority to resolve their issues as per the law.

“We have demolished the farmhouses, which are not covered by such high court orders. And our demolition drive will continue against all farmhouses, which were built against norms. No permanent construction on the floodplain area can be permitted,” said another Noida authority official, asking not to be named.