Farmers from all 54 villages, on whose land Noida was built more than three decades ago, joined hands at a mahapanchayat here on Sunday and decided to fight the industrial development authority here against land acquisition.
The mahapanchayat was originally called to seek greater compensation and rehabilitation benefits for the land acquired in 10 villages and allotted to more than a dozen builders for construction of residential towers in eight sectors (74, 75, 76, 78, 79, 117, 116 and 113) of Noida.
But with the authority having failed to promise payment of increased compensation and all other villagers also suffering from lack of promised rehabilitation benefits, the canvas of the protest widened.
Farmers met at the sector 74-76 crossing, where a smaller group had been agitating for the last few days, and issued an ultimatum - if the Noida authority did not meet their demands by August 5, they would not let any housing project on.
They decided to undertake a "padyatra" from Monday for greater awareness against land acquisition. They will also hold another mahapanchayat at village Gejha on Monday.
{{/usCountry}}They decided to undertake a "padyatra" from Monday for greater awareness against land acquisition. They will also hold another mahapanchayat at village Gejha on Monday.
{{/usCountry}}The panchayat said the authority only understood the language of violence and aggression. Farmers from more than two dozen villages located along the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway have already threatened to stall housing projects coming up along the highway if their demands - similar in nature - were not met by July 31.
On Sunday, farmers demanded a compensation of Rs5,000 per sqm for all land acquired after 2000. They also demanded their abadi land be left as it was. An 11-member committee was set up to pursue litigation in courts.
Admin seeks time
The Noida Authority has sought two weeks' time for providing rehabilitation benefits, but there has been no word on the compensation issue.
"We have agitating for more than 30 years now. The authority forcibly acquired our farmland; did not even spare abadi areas in return for paltry compensation. We will not sit back now," said Dalveer Singh Yadav of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti.
There is panic among buyers and builders as, in some cases, work till the seventh floors has been completed.
The administration has ensured police deployment in the area. Top authority officials have been meeting agitating farmers to see how the impasse can be lifted, but to no avail.