Noida: A mahapanchayat of Noida farmers on Sunday
extended by five days their deadline for return of five per
cent land developed after acquiring it and threatened to stop
construction work on housing projects if the authorities
failed to meet their demands.
The farmers belonging to villages along the Noida Expressway
had yesterday set July 31 as their deadline for meeting their
demands.
"But on the government's promise that our demands are being
looked into, the panchayat has decided not to stop work at
builders' projects till August 5," farmers' leader Veer Singh
Yadav said.
The farmers, who are on the war path against "forcible"
acquisition of their agricultural land, have also demanded
higher compensation from the government and have threatened to
stop work at builders' projects if their demands are not met.
On the fourth day of their agitation, farmers from over two
dozen villages participated at the mahapanchayat near Sorkha
area and were angry that the government had not returned five
per cent developed land to them as promised.
"Our main demand beside hike in land compensation is five
per cent of developed land which was not given by the
authority yet. We have demanded land compensation at the rate
of Rs 10,000 per sq meter. It is negotiable but it will never
be less than Rs 7,000," Yadav said.
Assuring the farmers of resolving their issues, Noida
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Balwinder Kumar said,
"Builders development work was going on at Sector 74 and
surrounding areas and along Expressway near Shahdara village.
Farmers are protesting at these places.
"Their demand seeking five percent developed land was
justified. It will be resolved within ten days. Regarding hike
in land compensation, we will forward their demand to the
state government".
Another panchayat meeting was held at Dhada village where
the farmers decided to move the court if their demands were
not met.
Meanwhile, around three hundred contractors assembled at
Noida extension and held protests.
Every contractor has dues worth several crores with
builders. Now they have refused to pay saying work was halted
due to court order, said Yash Gupta, a contractor union
representative.
At Roza Yakubpur village in Greater Noida, farmers organised
a 'havan'. "We are holding it so that the government does
justice to us," said farmer Girish Nagar.
"We are also praying for the investors that they too get the
justice," said another farmer.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, July 24, 2011, 18:34