Talks fail again, but Noida Extn pact within reach

Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) chief executive officer Rama Raman on Friday evening said farmers and officials were "very close" to rescuing the Noida Extension project, where the fate of 1 lakh houses is at stake.

Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) chief executive officer Rama Raman on Friday evening said farmers and officials were "very close" to rescuing the Noida Extension project, where the fate of 1 lakh houses is at stake.

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After a 12-hour marathon meeting between top government officials, people's representatives and farmers on Thursday and subsequent talks which continued till late on Friday night in Noida, it has emerged that the authority has offered "a substantial hike" in the compensation paid to farmers, plus bigger developed land plots.

Since part of the benefits promised were not "officially part of a tentative draft agreement", talks have continued to break down.

Raman told Hindustan Times: “We have agreed on most counts. There are some disagreements that we hope to address soon.”

The CEO said a breakthrough is likely "in a day or two." The Allahabad high court has said it will hear Noida Extension petitions from August 17, which may decide the fate of more than 70,000 houses. The court has allowed the state government time till August 12 to work out an out-of-court settlement with farmers. Two court verdicts last month quashed forcible acquisition of about 750 hectares of land in two villages, leaving 26,500 home buyers in the lurch.

"When abadi is returned to farmers, the title deed is not transferred back. The property is leased back. Farmers want the title deed back. This is in violation of our policy. We're allowing freedom related to sale/purchase of the land as well as construction-related flexibilities. Those getting their abadi land back will be able to pay back the compensation they have taken from the authority in installments," the CEO said.

UP minister Jaiveer Singh, local MP Surinder Singh Nagar, district magistrate Hridesh Kumar, Greater Noida chairman Mohinder Singh, besides Raman held a 12-hour marathon meeting with representatives of Noida Extension villages in a sector 61 house in Noida on Thursday. The talks started at 11 and continued till 11.30pm. Ajay Pradhan (Roza Yakoobpur), Resh Pal Yadav (Patwari) Amod Kumar (Bisrakh), Ramesh Kumar (Haibatpur) and some others represented Noida Extension farmers.

Meanwhile, another group of farmers, led by Dushyant Nagar, Manveer Bhati and others, said they would not allow "a select few, who are getting personal benefits from the authority" to decide the fate of all Noida Extension villages. "We will hold a mahapanchayat on Sunday. No agreement will be legal without this meeting's approval," said farmer leader Dushyant Nagar.