Resolve our issues in 15 days or face stir, farmers tell Noida authority

Farmers, in June, had held a similar protest against the authority and it was called off after the authority assured them of solving their issues in a timebound manner

Farmers protesting against the Noida authority, demanding the settlement of their abadi (residential) land issues, allotment of residential plots and a 64% hike in compensation for land acquired for the planned development of Noida and Greater Noida, have given the authority 15 days to address their demands, else face a renewed agitation.

Resolve our issues in 15 days or face stir, farmers tell Noida authority

They said the Noida authority has not fulfilled promises it had made during earlier protests.

They said they postponed their protest, planned outside the Noida authority’s sector 6 office from September 27 (Tuesday), after the authority officials assured them that their concerns would be addressed.

“The authority chief executive officer Ritu Maheshwari, additional CEO Praveen Kumar Mishra and other officials met with us Tuesday evening and promised to resolve our issues related to abadi land, hiked compensation and residential plots in the next 15 days. If they fail to do so, then our protest outside the authority’s sector 6 office will continue,” said Sukhbir Yadav, founder president of Bharatiya Kisan Parishad, which is leading the agitation.

Farmers, in June, had held a similar protest against the authority and it was called off after the authority assured them of solving their issues in a timebound manner.

“Our key demands are that each eligible farmer gets residential plot against their land acquired for development. Even after 40 years (since formation of Noida), the farmers are yet to get residential plots allotted. At least 70,000 square metres of land that was to be allotted to farmers for residential use is stuck in red-tape and farmers are made to suffer. The Noida authority is yet to give us the 64% hiked land compensation and settle all abadi issues. They keep ignoring our demands,” said Teekam Singh, farmer activist from Nagli Wazidpur.

Additional CEO Mishra said, “We held a detailed discussion with farmers and assured them that their issues will be looked into and addressed as per the rules.”