Farmers reject new rates

They have also decided against negotiating with the builders in the area.

The mahapanchayat ruled that a final decision on the issue will be taken in August 7 meeting,which will be attended by farmers of all nearby villages where land has been acquired by the Greater Noida Authority.

Gramin Panchayat Morcha president and Pradhan of Sadallahpur village,Ranbir Nagar,said: “We will not negotiate or give our land to builders. We have also persuaded other farmers who wanted to sell their land to builders to not negotiate with them unless a final decision is taken.”

He alleged that the Greater Noida Authority had illegally allocated village community land and pond for development of residential building. “We will seek the court’s help in this issue as well. Our main fight is against the Greater Noida Authority,which had acted like an autocrat and the UP government’s land acquisition policy,” Nagar said. “We are also awaiting some orders of the Allahabad High Court where cases related to land acquisition are likley to come up for judgement on August 19,20 and 21,” he added.

The Sunday’s mahapanchayat was attended by farmers from Milakh,Patwari,Roza,Zalalpur,Baipur and Sadallahpur villages.

Builders had offered farmers of these villages land at revised rates,after they too threatened to move court following Supreme Court ruling on Shahberi village. Builders had offered the rate as per the 2011 land acquisition policy at Rs 1,050 per sq metre. In 2008,when land was acquired,the government paid a compensation at the rate of Rs 850 per sq metre.