Fwd: [initiative-india] PRESS RELEASE : No More Forced Land Acquisitions. Consent of the Gram Sabha MUST

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From: NAPM India <napmindia@napm-india.org>
Date: Thu, May 19, 2011 at 6:43 PM
Subject: [initiative-india] PRESS RELEASE : No More Forced Land Acquisitions. Consent of the Gram Sabha MUST

NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PEOPLE'S MOVEMENTS

Delhi Office : 6/6 jangpura B, New Delhi – 110 014 . Phone : 9818905316

E-mail: napmindia@napm-india.org | Web : www.napm-india.org

&

BHUMI ADHIGRAHAN PRATIRODH ANDOLAN

Greater Noida, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh

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No More Forced Land Acquisitions. Consent of the Gram Sabha MUST

New Delhi, May 19 : "The reign of terror unleashed by the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) in the villages of Gautam Buddh District must immediately stop. It is no more a question of compensation. The mandate is clear we don't want to give our agricultural land", said Dr. Roopesh Verma, Convener of the Bhumi Adhigrahan Pratirodh Andolan. After a series of violent incidents Ghori Bachera police firing, six killed, on August 13 2008, Baajna, Mathura one killed in police firing in 2009, three killed in Tappal in 2010 and most recently on May 7 two farmers killed in police firing and several others missing, villages in the Greater Noida area has now decided not to give their land at any cost. The resistance has gathered strength with the support of other movement groups joining in from different parts of the country.

Nagendra Pradhan from Village Sadhopur demanded, "the land acquisition act must be repealed now. We have seen enough destruction in the name of public purpose. The Master plan prepared by the GNIDA never consulted any of the Gram Sabhas in the area. We can't tolerate this any more".   There was a demand for the consent of Gram Sabha in the any plan being made by the government in their areas. The loot of irrigated fertile land for the real estate and land development purposes can't be allowed.

Investigate the Great Land Scam

In the adjoining areas there exists Greater Noida Authority, Noida authority, Yamuna Expressway Authority, which have 125, 124, 1192 villages notified respectively. All these authorities are full of bureaucrats with no representations from the Gram Sabhas or other democratic institutions and supersedes the authority of the local self government in the area. This is completely undemocratic.   Ghaziabad Development Authority, UPSIDC and other agencies are also acquiring fertile agricultural land on a massive scale in the near by districts. It is highly condemnable that they have changed the Master Plan of 2021 of Greater Noida Authority in Noida Extention and allotted that land to builders. State Government and authority is earning huge profit and bribe, approximately they are getting 6000 Rs per sq mt as bribe. Government of UP have given licence to Ansal and other builders in 50 villages to develop High tech city. The authority is buying these land at the agricultural land prices and selling at much higher rates to the builders and real estate agents. Manoj Pradhan from village Khanpur demanded probe in the land transactions going on in the region and said it is a corruption much much bigger than the 2 G scam which has rocked the country today.

 

Nearly 43,000 Hectares land of 124 villages are to be acquired by the GNIDA. Much of this land is prime agricultural land irrigated by upper Ganga canal located in the Ganga Yamuna Doab region.  Other farmers addressing the press conference said, recent incidents in the Bhatta Parsaul is tip of the iceberg only and a large number of villages have been protesting against the forceful land acquisition since the time their land has been notified for acquisition without their consent under the provisions of draconian land acquisition act and often invoking the urgency clause. Some of the villagers have gone to the High Court where the land acquisition notices under the urgency clause has been cancelled providing relief to the farmers.

 

UP Government's New Compensation Policy is a Farce

Jitendra Pradhan from village Dhum Manikpur said, "we reject the compensation policy of UP government, since it offers nothing. It is only an instrument to make us landless by paying a little higher price and the workers, landless dalit and other families are provided nothing." Farmers demanded a comprehensive legislation and demanded that any development plan can't be implemented without the prior consent of the Gram Sabha. GNIDA has encroached upon their gram Sabha land, gauchar land and other common property resources and that needs to be returned to the respective villages immediately.

Bhupender Singh Rawat, National Convener, NAPM said, "it is time for the farming communities to join hands to protect the agricultural land for the food security needs of the future generations. The sons and daughters of the soil can't be made landless in the name of development and the draconian law has to be repealed immediately. In the current context new thinking has to be brought in on the land use pattern to meet the growing food demand, development needs and securing livelihood to millions of poor people. The demands of industry can't be the sole priority of the government."

Farmers from many villages in the Greater Noida area and Kanjhawala were speaking at a press conference organised by the Bhumi Adhigrahan Pratirodh Andolan and National Alliance of People's Movements at the Indian Women's Press Corps today.

  

Madhuresh Kumar                                                   Dr. Roopesh Verma

National Organiser, NAPM                                          Convener, BAPA

9818905316                                                                9953461516

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