Panel fails to address three key demands, Noida farmers threaten to restart agitation

Noida farmers said on Wednesday that they were disappointed by the report tabled by a three-member committee set up by the Uttar Pradesh government seven months ago to address the issues they faced, for the panel has failed to accept their three key demands related to bigger residential plots and also refused to allow them to use their residential plots for commercial purposes.

The committee recommendations can lead to further agitation in the coming days, said farmers, adding that they will convene a meeting of all farmer groups to decide the future course of action.

“The committee has refused to accept our key demands -- allotment of 10% of the total acquired land for residential use by our families, 64.7% additional compensation against the acquired land, and permission to use residential land for commercial purposes, among others. We will meet with our fellow farmers and then decide how to fight for our demands,” said Sukhbir Yadav, president, Bharatiya Kisan Parishad, a farmer’s group.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on February 20, 2024, formed a three-member committee with an aim to address the grievances of all famers whose land was acquired for development of Noida, Greater Noida and the Yamuna Expressway areas. The committee released its report on October 22, 2024.

The committee has refused the three crucial demands for 10% residential land against land acquired since 1997, 64.7% hiked additional compensation for all farmers, whose land was acquired from 1997 to 2002, and permission to use residential plots for commercial purposes.

“The rejection of these three demands means that the state government does not want to do us justice. We gave land for development of Noida but the government is not sympathetic towards our plight,” said Prempal Chauhan, a farmer leader.

The committee, however, accepted the farmers’ demand that each individual in a farmer’s family be allowed to use at least 1000 square metres of their original abadi (residential) land for their family. Earlier, they had permission to use only 450 square metres. The committee also accepted the demand to allot residential plot to a farmer if he has encroached upon the acquired land in the past, said officials.

The committee comprising revenue board chairman Rajneesh Dube, Meerut divisional commissioner Selva Kumari J and district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma made six key recommendations following a detailed review of the ongoing issues.

The committee in its recommendation sent to the state government also emphasized on the need to complete a satellite imagery survey of rural settlement areas, based on the cut-off date of June 30, 2011, as per the respective rural abadi site regulations.

This survey, which has been delayed, is essential for identifying residential areas and regularising them.

The Noida and Greater Noida authorities are tasked with completing the survey and boundary demarcation within three months to prevent further encroachments. This move is expected to provide clarity and bring much-needed structure to the region’s residential zones, said officials.

The Noida authority delayed allotting 5% of developed land to farmers owing to encroachment disputes. The Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway authorities have resolved these issues, while Noida 2,482 such cases pending.

The committee has recommended delinking the encroachment issues from the allocation process, following the example of Greater Noida and Yamuna authorities, to expedite the allocation of population plots. This process should be completed in the next two months under the supervision of the Noida authority CEO.

“We are looking into the issues of farmers and will take appropriate action,” said Lokesh M, chief executive officer, Noida authority.

In Greater Noida, approximately 20% of farmers affected by land acquisition are still waiting to receive their 5% population plots. Despite city being developed on acquired land, many farmers remain without their entitled plots.

“We have resolved farmers key issues already and if any issue remain, then we will do the needful,” said Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer, Yamuna authority.

The committee recommended setting up camps and forming dedicated teams to allocate the remaining 4,147 population plots within six months.

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