Zeenews Bureau
Noida: In a big relief to flat buyers in Noida, the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti on Saturday decided to suspend its agitation against land acquisition for three months.
The development came after representatives of farmers from 54 villages in the area held talks with officials of the Noida Authority on contentious issues that had cast a shadow on construction work undertaken by private builders in the satellite township.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Noida Authority chairman and CEO Balvinder Kumar said an agreement has been reached between the authority and the agitating farmers.
As per the settlement reached, Kumar said the farmers will be given five percent developed land of the total acquired. In addition, the existing inhabited land would be regularised as demanded by villagers, Kumar added.
He, however, said no discussion on enhanced compensation took place during the meeting. A decision on this issue would be taken at a later date, the CEO added.
Further, the Noida Authority would undertake the documentation of land across all villages of Noida which will be completed in three month’s time.
He, along with farmers, also declared that construction work can now go ahead in full-swing.
Today’s meeting came in the wake of Allahabad High Court’s move to give time till August 12 to the Uttar Pradesh government and protesting farmers to resolve differences on land acquisition out-of-court.
A larger bench of the High Court is due to hear the cases related to land acquisition in Noida and Greater Noida (Noida Extension) on August 17.
Following agitations in Greater Noida by farmers for enhanced compensation, hundreds of farmers in Noida too had started agitating for increased compensation and rehabilitation benefits for their land acquired.
The petitioners in Allahabad HC have alleged that their land was acquired by invoking the urgency clause for the development of Greater Noida area, which deprived them of an opportunity to raise objections as well as bargain for adequate compensation.
Besides, they have alleged, exemption from acquisition was granted to "some influential land-owners in a discriminatory fashion".
The impasse had put flat buyers in a spot as they were having to shell out EMIs but had no assurance of getting the property.
First Published: Saturday, July 30, 2011, 11:20