Farmers target housing projects

Greater Noida:

Agitating farmers halted under-construction housing projects of various developers in Greater Noida West (Noida Extension) on Thursday and even manhandled the labourers working at the sites. The farmers, who are demanding quick disbursement of enhanced compensation cheques, have threatened that till their demands are met they will not allow any development work in the region. They have also warned of stopping work on housing projects permanently from October 28.

Considering the current scenario, developers have demanded security of their under-construction projects even as Greater Noida Authority has remained tight-lipped about the issue. Amrapali group CMD, Anil Sharma, said the administration should give a sense of security to developers as farmers come anytime and disrupt their projects. “We will meet the Authority CEO and formulate a plan to counter this threat,” Sharma said.

The farmers disrupted projects of developers like Gaur, Paramount, Amrapali, Supertech, Steller, Panchsheel, Rudra, AVJ, Ajanara, among others. Greater Noida Authority CEO, Rama Raman, finally issued a warning late in the evening saying that all development work and compensation distribution would be stopped in the villages if farmers stop construction work.

Farmers formed three groups and halted construction work at 11.30am. One section of farmers went towards Ghodi Bacheda village, while another halted housing projects in Greater Noida West. They stopped labourers from working and threatened them with dire consequences if they resumed construction. Some of the labourers were also thrashed. Later, farmers from Chauganpur, Saini, Bisrakh, Emnabad, Khairpur, Roja, Patwadi, Junpad and Ithera-Haibatpur held a panchayat to decided future course of action.

“Our main demand is regularization of abadi and land ownership. The Greater Noida Authority CEO has assured that land of those farmers will be returned where no public project has started. The Authority has been assuring us from the past one year that once the Greater Noida master plan is passed all our issues would be resolved. But even after two months of passing the master plan, none of our issues have been settled,” said farmer leader, Manvir Bhati.

“Farmers from Noida and Yamuna Expressway area have also joined hands with us. If the Authority does not meet our demands, then a district-wide agitation will be undertaken and projects in all three regions of Greater Noida, Noida and Yamuna Expressway will be halted,” farmers said.

Farmers add that there is a dispute over compensation payment to land nominees. There were farmers who received meagre compensation and died. The Authority is allegedly not issuing the hiked funds to family members of those farmers who have died.

source:http://www.indianrealtynews.com/greater-noida/farmers-target-housing-projects.html