Land acquisition row: Noida Authority agrees to two demands of agitating farmers

NOIDA: Giving in to demands of agitating farmers whose land has been acquired, Noida Authority today promised to give them five per cent of the developed plots from next week and regularise 'abadi' or populated sections.

Announcing this, Noida Chief Executive Officer Balwinder Kumar, however, said the issue of higher compensation sought by farmers has to be decided by the Uttar Pradesh Government

Kumar, who visited Sorkha and Parthla villages, told the farmers that peripheral road will be constructed around the villages and all abadi land as existing today would be regularised. Regarding five per cent developed land, Singh said letters will be issued to villagers from next week.

A mahapanchayat of villages along the Expressway had yesterday set August 5 as deadline for return of the five per cent land developed and threatened to stop construction work on housing projects if the authorities failed to meet their demands.

The CEO promised to convey the farmers' demand for higher compensation to the state government.

Meanwhile, the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has issued notices to seven builders, asking them to return the land to the farmers in Shahberi village in line with the court orders.

The seven builders are Supertech, Mahagun, Amrapali, Gulmohar, Inder Royal, Panchsheel and Shree G.