Farmers stage protest outside LDA, demand more compensation
Demanding enhanced compensation for their land acquired by the LDA for its Sitapur road and Aliganj housing schemes, dozens of farmers, in tractors and trolleys laid siege to the development authority’s office around 11am.
Given their conflicting roles, administration authorities and protestors are at odds most of the times.
But Tuesday’s demonstration in front of the LDA office in Gomti Nagar by so-called farmers’ leaders saw an unusual understanding between the two.
Demanding enhanced compensation for their land acquired by the LDA for its Sitapur road and Aliganj housing schemes, dozens of farmers, in tractors and trolleys laid siege to the development authority’s office around 11am.
Even in the presence of heavy police ‘bandobast’, they belligerently parked their vehicles in between the two LDA gates, blocking access to the office building.
A senior LDA official, who had to attend a government meeting, was prevented to leave in his office vehicle as the protestors blocked the entrance.
The official anxiously looked towards the police sub-inspector standing by with his contingent in the vicinity soliciting his intervention.
“I cannot help. We have clear orders not to use force,” came the curt reply from the S-I.
Efforts by LDA vice-chairman AP Tiwari to contact district magistrate Anurag Yadav proved futile.
The stalemate would have continued, but for some media persons who promptly sent messages to the DM saying the situation could take a turn for the worse.
The trick worked as within minutes and the protestors relented.
Hundreds of allottees in the LDA’s group housing schemes on Sitapur road have been left in the lurch because of the farmers’ agitation.
LDA officials say the agitation has been hijacked but a couple of land mafias, who enjoy political patronage and are exploiting the poor farmers.
The allegation finds an echo in Bharatiya Kisan Union (Awadh) leader Rajendra Yadav too.
“We had met the chief minister on January 25 and he had assured us of all help following which we had called off our stir, but some vested interests are now trying to exploit the situation,” he told Hindustan Times.
