A day after the Noida authorities clinched a deal with the agitating farmers, who agreed to suspend their agitation for three months, the farmers of the villages along the Yamuna Expressway held a ‘panchayat' in Gautam Buddha Nagar district on Sunday and demanded higher compensation for their land. The farmers have threatened to seek legal recourse if their demands were not accepted.
The ‘panchayat' attended by representatives from about three dozen villages situated along the Noida-Agra Yamuna Expressway was held in Atta Naurangpur village. Land for executing the ambitious project of the Mayawati government was acquired in 2008 and the farmers' agitation was being reportedly backed by the Bharatiya Kisan Union.
Unhappy lot
Sources said the farmers were unhappy that they were given compensation at the rate of Rs. 7 lakh a bigha whereas the same land was sold to the private developers by the government at a higher rate. Even as the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) officials were reportedly not ready to agree to higher compensation, there was a possibility of 5 to 7 per cent of the developed land being returned to farmers, sources claimed.
Upset with authorities
While the farmers were not against the construction of the Yamuna Expressway, and considered the Formula-1 racing track (India's first F-1 race is scheduled there in October) being built alongside as a matter of pride for the entire nation, they were angry that the YEIDA authorities were silent.
Sources said farmers of these villages, including some in Greater Noida Authority, were upset that the ‘urgency clause' had been invoked for acquiring their land.
The acquisition was for industrial development but no industries have been set up. Instead it has been handed over for building residential colonies.
The farmers have also been demanding that six per cent of the developed land be returned to them and the “abaadi” (populated ) areas be regularised. Like their counterparts in the Noida villages, the farmers of the Expressway villages have also demanded that committees should be set up for their uplift.
