Authority sees ‘a ray of hope’

The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has said it will make the most of “the slight opening” provided by the Allahabad high court order on Tuesday and renegotiate with farmers on a one-to-one basis. The authority has also asked builders — and “all elements creating confusion” in the ongoing land row — to keep off the renegotiation process.

GNIDA chief executive officer (CEO) Rama Raman told Hindustan Times, “No farmer is against development. They have some grievances and we have been trying to address them all. We will use these two-odd weeks to expedite the process and lift the impasse.”

Without making a reference to political parties, Raman said, “In the interests of farmers and homebuyers, my advice to all non-stake-holders is not to complicate the matter further.”

The CEO said he was confident of rescuing the Noida Extension project and all other areas under the authority. Will the authority pay the farmers market rates for their land?

“We will go for legal, practical and mutually-accepted solutions. No farmer will be allowed to feel cheated,” he said. “No farmer will be forced to take compensation or renegotiate with us. I am yet to go through the court order details. We will comply with what the court has to say.”

“We will not impose urgency clause (not hearing farmers’ objections) anywhere now. Farmers will be heard even at places where this clause is already in force but land has not been acquired,” the CEO said and added, “We will ensure farmers’ abadi land is not acquired. They will get adequate compensation and developed land plots.”

Raman has made it clear that farmers of those villages, where land acquisition has been set aside, will not be forced to return the compensation amount.