Noida: A group of farmers held a protest outside the offices of three authorities on Monday, pressing for their longstanding demands, including additional compensation and allotment of developed plots.Farmers, under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Tikait), claimed that more than 12,000 landowners are awaiting Abadi plots from the three authorities — Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna development.They include around 2,950 under Noida Authority, 4,000 under Greater Noida Authority and 5,100 under Yamuna Authority.BKU’s Rakesh Tikait, along with nearly 200 farmers on tractors, first gathered outside Greater Noida office in the afternoon.Then they reached Yamuna Authority and finally addressed the crowd outside Noida Authority office.“We wanted to set up tents outside the offices of authorities but they did not allow us. We have decided to protest without tents. The authorities must meet our demands of increased compensation and abadi plots,” Tikait said.He also urged the farmers to get ready for a long struggle to get their demands met.The farmers demanded a uniform allotment of 10% developed Abadi land to all farmers whose land was acquired.At present, Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna authorities provide developed plots equivalent to 5%, 6% and 7% of the acquired land, respectively.The demand for 10% abadi plots stems from a 2011 Allahabad High Court judgement in Gajraj Singh & Others v. State of UP, in which the court directed the authorities to allot developed Abadi plots equivalent to 10% of the acquired land, subject to a maximum of 2,500 square metres, to the petitioners. There were 471 petitioners in the case.The court had also directed payment of 64% additional compensation to eligible farmers.The protesters said enhanced compensation for land acquired for the Yamuna Expressway project has not yet been paid to them.They also claimed that they have not been allotted the developed plots they are entitled to.The farmers said that although land was acquired for Noida International Airport, promised jobs have not been provided to the kin of landowners.They demanded that local youth be given priority in employment by companies and factories operating in the area.The three development authorities’ officials are in talks with farmers to address their issues.
