Authority tries to come clean, woos farmers with fresh sops

With the Allahabad high court on Wednesday deferring, possibly for two weeks, the hearing of Noida Extension land acquisition cases, the Greater Noida authority has got down to utilising the "breather" and "extended an olive branch" to hostile farmers.

With the Allahabad high court on Wednesday deferring, possibly for two weeks, the hearing of Noida Extension land acquisition cases, the Greater Noida authority has got down to utilising the "breather" and "extended an olive branch" to hostile farmers.

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The authority has admitted to "some mistakes" but promised "justice from now on" and even offered the agitating farmers to check its balance sheets to know the authority had not benefited at the cost of farmers' interests.

"There are 300 petitions from 22 villages. There is a misconception among the farmers that only those who have filed petitions would get additional

benefits when the agreements are reached. We will take the benefits of the agreement to every single farmer of the village concerned," Greater

Noida authority chief executive officer (CEO) Rama Raman assured.

Raman admitted only troubled farmers had filed petitions as officials could not redress their grievances of abadi land and other issues in time, which led to the discontent.

He appealed to the farmers of Noida Extension and other villages in Greater Noida to have trust in the authority.

"Farmers are welcome to check the authority's accounts. Our per square metre land cost calculates to R10,500 to Rs 11,000. We give industrial and institution allotments at subsidised rates. This was compensated from sale of commercial land," Raman said.

"Through development farmers would gain. Mistrust should be set aside. Non-development is not good for anybody," the CEO said.

Meanwhile, the suspense on the fate of an estimated one lakh houses booked by people in Noida Extension and other land acquisition cases in Noida and Greater Noida continued as a hearing slated for Wednesday could not take place in the Allahabad high court.