SC dismisses plea denying farmers plots

NEW DELHI/NOIDA: The long legal battle that farmers of Greater Noida West have been waging against the government entered its final phase on Tuesday as the Supreme Court began hearing petitions challenging land acquisition between 2004 and 2007.
Around 1,100 writ petitions have been registered with the court. Nearly 20,000 farmers from villages like Patwari, Bisrakh, Khairpur, Roja, Itehda, Haibatpur, Saini and others have come together to file these petitions.
While the hearing began with the Bisrakh block, the SC dismissed a special leave petition filed by Greater Noida Authority (GNIDA) against compensating the farmers with alternative plots. The Allahabad high court had come up with a special compensation formula by awarding a 64.7% raise in compensation and allocation of developed land whose size was 10% the quantum of land acquired from each farmer. GNIDA agreed to the financial compensation but wanted the other part of the order scrapped citing paucity of developed land.
The petitions filed challenge the acquisition of land in 40 villages. The acquisition, the petitioners allege, was made through the 'urgency clause' of the old Land Acquisition Act, which could only be invoked for a "public purpose", but the land was given for housing projects.
The Supreme Court had earlier set up a three-member committee headed by Justice H L Dattu to examine the petitioners' grievances.
"We want the acquisition quashed because the land was seized from villagers in the name of public benefit but given to builders," Dushyant Nagar, convener of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, told TOI. "While 10% developed land was not been given to farmers, most do not have a livelihood today," he added.
GNIDA says it has already disbursed more than Rs 3,000 crore as additional compensation. To meet the additional demand for 10% developed plots, more than 350 hectares, is required, which is not feasible, officials added.