Greater Noida: Higher compensation for land key issue for farmers this election

Ahead of the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, farmers in Jewar are in talks with the authorities for land compensation and mega industrial projects, which are the key issues for them as their land is being acquired for the Noida international airport and other developmental projects in the area.

They are demanding higher land compensation from political parties seeking votes in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, which is scheduled to be held from February 10 to March 7 in seven phases. Polls are to be conducted in the first phase on February 10 in Gautam Budh Nagar’s three assembly constituencies — Noida, Jewar and Dadri.

Jewar, one of the three assembly seats of Gautam Budh Nagar, has grabbed attention in the polls because of the Noida international airport project, which is being developed along the Yamuna Expressway.

Farmers in villages, where land acquisition is under process for the airport project, have been demanding higher land compensation and better rehabilitation facilities from the state government in this election season.

“Political leaders from different parties have been visiting our villages, and appealing to the people for showing support to them. Our agenda is very clear… The party or candidate, whoever will assure us higher compensation for the land acquired by the authority for developmental projects here, will win our support. The Uttar Pradesh government is giving ₹2,500 per square metre for our land, which is two times the rate set by the government in power. Our demand is four times the (circle) rate set by the government,” said Ajay Pratap Singh, a farmer from Dayanatpur village.

The state government has acquired and handed over 1,334 hectares of land in Jewar to the Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL) — a 100% subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, which was incorporated in 2021 as a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop the Jewar airport project.

The agency has started works on the ground to develop two runways of the airport. According to the concession agreement, the government has to provide 1,363 hectares of land to the subsidiary adjacent to the existing airport site for the third runway and further expansion. The process to acquire 1,363 hectares more land is underway.

Six villages — Karauli Bangar, Dayanatpur, Kureb, Ranhera, Mundhera and Nagla Hukum Singh village — falling under the project area will be used for setting up the third runway, and a commercial maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of aircraft centre for the project, and the land acquisition process is underway.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ruling party in the state, has fielded Thakur Dhirendra Singh, sitting MLA from Jewar; Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal alliance fielded former MP Avtar Singh Bhadana; Congress fielded Manoj Chaudhary, a first-timer; and Bahujan Samaj Party fielded Narendra Dedha, a journalist, from this crucial seat.

Most of the farmers said that the “main fight for this seat is between the SP-RLD alliance and the BJP”.

Meanwhile, many farmers, who gave land for the first phase development of the airport project, expressed happiness with the land compensation and other benefits. “We are happy with the land compensation provided by the government. The airport and other big industrial projects such as Apparel Park, mobile manufacturing units, and food parks among others have pushed the property’s rate to a new high. Due to the development in the area, our children will easily get jobs and lead a better life here in the coming days, so we will support the BJP and local MLA,” said Devdutt Sharma, a farmer from Banwaribas village.

Aarif Khan, a farmer from Nagla Sharif, said, “The airport project is a big one, and it will change this region completely. But we will also vote keeping in mind other developmental projects in the region, and the behaviour of the sitting MLA. He has built roads, colleges, renovated schools and worked in all fields for improvement in this region. So, we are with him.”

The SP-RLD alliance, the Congress and the BSP candidates have been assuring the farmers that they will ensure higher compensation and huge benefits to their families. “The farmers have been victims of injustice as the current compensation rate is very low. We will do justice to the farmers if elected to power,” Avtar Singh Bhadana has been assuring farmers during meetings.

Congress candidate Manoj Chaudhary said, “Farmers are unhappy about the way the government has demolished their houses to make way for the airport project, without even providing them houses. We will not let it happen in villages where the land acquisition process is underway.”

BJP MLA Thakur Dhirendra Singh, who has been conducting door-to-door campaigns ahead of the polls, said, “The airport, Film City, Medical Device Park, colleges, Skill institutions and Food Park are big projects that have come up in Jewar in the past five years. Apart from this, we have worked for all the communities in the region without any discrimination, which is why the people are with us. Farmers are happy with the land compensation provided by the government. If anyone is unhappy, we will address their issues.”