Farmers seek fresh package from Greater Noida authority

As the Greater Noida authority tries to renegotiate with farmers and find a solution to the impasse at Noida Extension, the posturing has begun.

Farmers are seeking a fresh compensation and rehabilitation package for their land, which was acquired by the authority using an urgency clause, but is being over-ruled by the courts after they filed a bunch of petitions challenging the same.

Farmers are seeking a marginal increase in compensation - Rs 5,000 per bigha over the price of Rs 711,000 per bigha paid by the authority, 120-metre plot and facilities for landless labourers, annuity for 33 years according to the state's new land acquisition policy and one per cent more land for rehabilitation and resettlement.

''I had 10 bighas of land, for which I got Rs 70 lakh. What can I do with that money? I can't even buy a house with that kind of money! With land gone, we will have no means of income. What do our kids do? Work as security guards at the complexes or clean up the vehicles of people who come to stay here?'' said a farmer from Bisrakh village, who has gone to court challenging the acquisition.

Farmers say the compensation should be given according to the end-use of the land. “The authority paid us only Rs 711,000 per bigha and sold it for Rs 1.10 crore per bigha, where builders are building 40-storey towers,” said Manveer Bhati, a farmer in Bisrakh village.

But what the farmers sold was raw land and the authority sold net developed land, after providing for parks and infrastructure. Farmers are seeking Rs 5,000 more per bigha, plus other benefits but could settle for less.

“The builders have been trying to break our unity and the authority has been asking farmers not to go to the court. There has been no real initiative till now to resolve the issue,” said another farmer.

Brokers say the farmers' agitation has been hijacked by people who want to exploit it politically.

“The authority has put up a camp in every village, but there are 10 leaders in every village. They are telling farmers we will foot your legal bill; just stay behind us. With elections round the corner, the whole thing is getting politically influenced. If the authority wants to recover the compensation, farmers won't be able to pay,” said a broker.

No wonder, on Friday evening there were reports that the authority wants to remove the builders' billboards that mark the boundaries of these project. The builders, however, say the authority is trying to resolve the issue and could announce the same in the next few days.

Flat buyers, meanwhile, plan huge protests this weekend, starting Friday evening in Noida Extension. An association of flat buyers has also filed a petition in the Allahabad HC to be impleaded in the case.