Land acquisition: Farmers threaten agitation

LUCKNOW: A day after farmers in Chandauli deferred their stir following assurance from the state government that their land would not be acquired forcibly, the farmers of 34 villages under Noida Extension have raised a banner of revolt. Hundreds of farmers from these villages have assembled at Roja village to protest land acquisition by the state government for industrial and residential purposes.
Farmers have threatened to sit on hunger strike against land acquisition. They say that their protest is against government policy to acquire land at throwaway prices and selling it to builders at high rates. The builders later sell it for over 10 times the original cost. Administration has imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of IPC and heavy police have been deployed in view of the tension prevailing in the area.
The state government is taking all precautions to prevent violence during farmer agitation. The violence at Bhatta-Parsaul on May 7 which left five people dead had already caused much trouble for the Maya government. Another setback has come from the high court which has cancelled three land acquisition in Greater Noida and stayed acquisition in another case in last 15 days.