GHAZIABAD: Just 30km from UP Gate, a group of farmers from several villages has been protesting against the government for the past four and a half years over land compensation.
On Saturday, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni visited the protest in Loni’s Mandola village and backed the protesters.
“The farm agitation at the Delhi borders has been going on for the last seven months and has generated nationwide debate.
But here, farmers from six villages have been agitating over enhanced compensation for the past four and a half years, but to no avail,” said Neeraj Tyagi, a representative of the Mandola farmers.
“The SKM has now come in support of our agitation.
Its leader, Gurnam Singh Chaduni, visited the protest site and offered all help,” he added.
At the centre of this agitation is 2,614 acres that the UP Housing Board had acquired from 1,000 farmers under the Mandola Vihar housing scheme.
The villagers were then offered Rs 1,100/sqm.
So far, land compensation to the tune of Rs 1,109 crore have been disbursed among 94% of the farmers.
The villagers are now demanding four times the land rate, in keeping with the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
“Prime land was taken away for us for pittance.
For the past four and a half years, we have been protesting against the housing board.
We have had multiple rounds of talks with the administration.
But except for a few promises, we have got nothing,” said Tyagi.
“The farmers have been demanding four times compensation in keeping with the Act.
But the notification for the project happened way back in 1998.
Compensation was given to them at the prevailing rate then.
The land acquisition act came much after that,” said an official of the Housing Board.