The Allahabad High Court cancelled the land acquisition in Patwari village, Noida. The High Court ordered 589 hectares of land taken by state government be returned to farmers immediately. In total 300 hectares of land has been acquired by the state government. The farmers are facing crisis since 2008, when the land was acquired citing the urgency clause. The order came a fortnight after the Supreme Court had cancelled acquisition of 156 hectares of land by the state government in village Shahberi in the area. With the judgment, farmers are breathing a sigh of relief and it has given farmers from other villages a sign of hope.
On the one hand the judgment is a moment of celebration for the farmers, but on the other hand it has put buyers and GNIDA authorities in a state of dilemma. The land was used by GNIDA to build residential homes and approx 50,000 buyers have already purchased the homes. The land was acquired by GNIDA in the name of industrial work but later on 11 real estate experts were called upon and given the land to build residential apartments. One lakh flats were booked and the buyers have invested huge sums of money to purchase their dream home, but now it seems only a dream without a home. Buyers are protesting against the judgment and have challenged the court’s decision. The court has asked the authorities to shift the housing projects to other place and return the money of buyers.
The court has also decreased the role of state government in land acquisition and increased the compensation given to farmers. The GNIDA is facing the largest loss as half the land has been used. Supertech and Unitech groups are the companies who have suffered the most.
State government plans to build flyovers, racing tracks, metro links on the land has also failed due to the move. The government has also proposed the National Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Bill, 2011. It allows the buyers to directly acquire the land from farmers. Compensation must be twice the amount the land has in the market. The consent of 80 per cent of the people of the area where land is to be acquired will also become mandatory.
Now, buyers, farmers, authorities are awaiting the judgment due on August 16th, till then court has ordered them to do out of the court settlement.
With land being such a burning issue and everyone’s hopes are relied on the land, we can just ask ‘whose land is it’.
