Saturday, May 14, 2011

Fuming Noida farmers move court against Mayawati's land policy : Uttar Pradesh: India Today

Fuming Noida farmers move court against Mayawati's land policy : Uttar Pradesh: India Today

Encouraged by the Allahabad High Court's intervention related to forceful acquisition of agricultural lands, hundreds of farmers from Patwadi, Bisrakh, Khairpur villages comprising the so called 'Noida Extension' area and neighbouring ones such as Milak Lacchi, Jalalpur, Vaidpura and Sadullapur have approached the court to seek reversal of acquisitions in their areas.

The lands of Patwadi, Bisrakh and Khairpur villages were reportedly acquired by the Mayawati government in 2009 after revoking Section 5A of the Land Acquisition Act 1894. Local farmers' leader and lawyer on land issues, Satya Pal Chaudhary on whose PIL, the HC had passed the Sahberi order, said, "Apart from the farmers who are approaching the HC now, the writs of many farmers are in the final stages of disposal and orders are likely to come within 2- 3 days." The farmers committee also said it would file an application in the Noida court under Section 156( 3) of CrPC seeking directions to lodge a criminal case of murder, attempt to murder, loot, kidnapping, rioting and assaulting women against the officials responsible for the Bhatta-Parsol bloodshed.

The SC order had stated that a builder could not pre-launch its property unless it has paid the complete amount of the land to the government or is in possession of the registry. In the case of Noida Extension, the Greater Noida authority has given the land to private builders in easy installments of 10 years and had sold off the land at nearly 10 times the cost paid to the farmers, they said.

Farmers are also likely to seek relief from the HC on the basis of a Supreme Court order passed on March 7 that cancelled the acquisition of their agricultural lands on emergency pretexts for construction of a district jail in Shahjahanpur district in UP. HC lawyer and legal activist Amit Khemka said, "By applying emergency clauses, these authorities are misusing the provisions of ther act and are making a mockery of the law.This act is anti-farmer, anti-people and anti-human rights. The government, instead of providing welfare, has become a land-holder and property dealer. Public interest has taken a back seat."

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