Greater Noida, an agrarian tinder-box

Bhatta-Parsaul is not the only Greater Noida village where discontent over land acquisition is high. Darpan Singh reports.

Bhatta-Parsaul is not the only Greater Noida village where discontent over land acquisition is high. There are over 150 hamlets where the same current is running through. Those spearheading farm movements have warned that each village has the potential to explode into a Bhatta-like movement, if “farmers are not listened to soon”.

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Farmers have begun holding meetings to chart out their strategies. Independent committees in villages are showing solidarity and coordinating with each other for a 'greater impact'.

Farmers in Dujana village have called a mahapanchayat on Saturday.

“The government uses legal provisions of the Land Acquisition Act to suspend the right to object. The state initiates acquisition through Section 4, a notification in the media. Under Section 5, objections are invited and heard,” said a farmer leader.

“After acquisition, Section 9 is enforced for physical possession. But the state has the right to revoke the provisions of Section 5 and this is where voices are muffled. Compensation is deposited with the state if a farmer protests and does not come forward to take the amount,” he added.

Farmer organisations have been agitating for long in 125 villages of the town. Around 18 villages are protesting against a mega township project coming up off NH-24. Residents in 18 villages are against a similar township coming up in Noida Extension.