Farmers disrupt three big-ticket realty projects

About 2,000 farmers of 22 villages stalled construction work of big-ticket realty projects of a well known developer in Noida’s sectors 127, 128, and 129 on Sunday. They alleged that the authority has failed to implement the Allahabad high court’s last year order.

About 2,000 farmers of 22 villages stalled construction work of big-ticket realty projects of a well known developer in Noida’s sectors 127, 128, and 129 on Sunday. They alleged that the authority has failed to implement the Allahabad high court’s last year order.

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These projects include a 41-storey residential building and a private hospital. The farmers have already stopped construction at half a dozen other builders’ projects.

Agitated farmers riding on tractors, motorbikes and cars reached the sites and forced the labourers to stop work. Apprehending the gravity of the situation, the city police had to deploy a large police force to maintain law and order at the sites.

The farmers have been demanding 64% hiked compensation and 10% developed plots among others. Some farmers, who sold their land (not acquired by the government) to the Noida authority between 2005 and 2012, have also joined the protests and sought hiked compensation. Another major demand of farmers is the regularisation of abadi land in their villages.

They say if the state government does not address their demands, the protest will go on. In their protest, hundreds of farmers have been staging a dharna at Noida’s Sadarpur village for the past nine days.

“The state government will have to ensure that all the farmers get 10% developed plots and 64% hiked compensation. Besides, villages should be developed on the lines of urban areas. If the authority does not pay heed to our demands, our protest will get intensified with each passing day,” said Surendra Paradhan, a farmer leader.

The farmers warn that if the Noida authority or the state government does not want to address our demands, they get ready to face agitations. “We will take out a rally on the roads and disrupt traffic, if the government does not listen to us,” added Pradhan.