Chain reaction in Greater Noida after Supreme Court ruling

A day after the Supreme Court quashed the forcible acquisition of 156 hectares of land at Shahberi in Greater Noida, farmers took out a "victory march" and stopped work at the construction sites of 11 builders in eight villages of what is popularly called Noida Extension. Darpan Singh reports. The Shahberi effect | Courting controversy | Buyers' take | Builders' gambit

A day after the Supreme Court quashed the forcible acquisition of 156 hectares of land at Shahberi here, farmers took out a "victory march" and stopped work at the construction sites of 11 builders in eight villages of what is popularly called Noida Extension.

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The judgment has given a big boost to farmers from other villages in the area who on Thursday also decided to move court against the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority.

Manveer Bhati, a farmer leader, said, "Ten bunches of petitions have been filed in the Allahabad high court by several Noida Extension villages. We have also obtained stay orders in some cases. Builders cannot go about building luxury apartments on farmland forcibly acquired from us till the court decides on the matter."

Hearing in some cases is likely to take place later this month.

At least 25 builders were planning to construct 2.5 lakh apartments in the area and bookings for 1 lakh units have already been made.

"About 2,000 acres of land from 11 villages has been acquired in Noida Extension and allotted to builders without the farmers' objections being paid heed to - something the Supreme Court has declared illegal in the Shahberi case. Acquisition of land in other Noida Extension villages has been challenged on the grounds first put forward by Shahberi farmers," said Bhati.