After talks fail, farmers refuse to end agitation

Farmers continued their protest for the 14th day in Noida’s Sector 6, seeking a 64.7% hiked land compensation, 10% (of total land acquired by the authority) developed

Farmers continued their protest for the 14th day in Noida’s Sector 6, seeking a 64.7% hiked land compensation, 10% (of total land acquired by the authority) developed residential plots and settlement of their abadi disputes.

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The Noida authority chief executive officer Ritu Maheshwari and other officials have held discussions with farmers multiple times, but without reaching any agreement.

On Monday, a group of farmers from 81 villages reached the Sector 6 protest site, outside the authority’s main administrative building, and held a protest till 4.30pm. They reiterated their demands and shouted slogans against the authority and the UP government. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed top officials to get the agitation called off as it is disrupting traffic and peace in the city.

“We will continue to protest against the state government because the Noida authority is not accepting our demands. If they will not accept our demands, then we will continue to intensify our protest,” Sukhbir Yadav, a farmer leader, said.

Farmers block a road stretch that connects Udyog Marg with the authority office. Over 100 police personnel are deployed daily at the protest site to deal with protesters.

“We are ready to address farmers’ issues as per the prevailing rules. But we cannot accept their demands, which are against the rules,” Santosh Upadhyay, officer on special duty of the Noida authority, said.

Seeking a solution, a delegation of farmers led by Raghuraj Singh met with Noida MLA Pankaj Singh.

“We demanded that the MLA visit all villages to collect information about abadi land disputes because the Noida authority is not addressing our issues. Farmers must get justice and that is the only way the protest will end,” Raghuraj Singh, another farmer leader, said.

MLA Singh said he will do his bit to address farmers’ issues.

“We have assured the delegation that the issues of original farmers will be looked into and addressed as per rules. We will not let injustice happen to any farmer. Farmers need not worry as we will look into issues in each village,” Singh said.