Unhappy over the land compensation offered to them, farmers of several villages located along the proposed Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) have moved the Allahabad high court.
As many as 18 farmers of Mohiuddinpur village under Dadri tehsil moved the court, demanding hiked compensation and developed plots as directed by the Allahabad high court last year in other land acquisition cases of Gautam Budh Nagar district.
On Monday, a copy of the petition has been received by the district magistrate office here.
In their petitions, farmers stated that they had protested the land acquisition in June 2009. The then district magistrate had formed a committee and after consultation with agitating farmers the compensation was decided at Rs. 850 per square metre and other benefits under rehabilitation policy at par with the compensation given by the Greater Noida authority.
They said that as the DM had awarded the compensation at par with that of Greater Noida authority, they are also entitled to 64 per cent additional compensation and 10% developed land as per the high court order. They have demanded quashing of the DM order and directing the government to pay additional compensation and developed land.
“Farmers want better compensation and developed plot. A petition has been filed in this regard in the high court,” said Pankaj Dubey, farmers’ advocate.
{{/usCountry}}“Farmers want better compensation and developed plot. A petition has been filed in this regard in the high court,” said Pankaj Dubey, farmers’ advocate.
{{/usCountry}}Disgruntled farmers from other villages have also filed petitions, seeking more compensation. A petition was filed last week by some farmers of Shemanddinpur village. One Chinta Ram of village Hazratpur has filed petition seeking quashing of November 9, 2009 notification. He stated that his land was acquired forcibly under urgency clause. Another petition was filed by a farmer of village Kasba Lamba in the Dankaur area.
The land measuring 433 hectares from 38 villages has been acquired in Gautam Budh Nagar district for the Eastern Peripheral Expressway connecting Sonipat, Ghaziabad and Palwal. Land acquisition notification was issued in December 2007. Award for 31 villages was announced on December, 2007. For 7 villages, award was announced on September 29, 2008. Compensation awarded ranged between Rs. 75 to Rs. 280 per square meter.
The 135-km peripheral road around envisages to provide signal-free connectivity between Ghaziabad and Faridabad, and Greater Noida and Palwal.