Farmers protest after taking off clothes in Greater Noida

GREATER NOIDA: Scores of farmers and villagers from Mewla Gopalgarh, Jewar Bangar and Budhaka (Aligarh) collected at Jewar tehsil on Friday noon to protest against the local administration. The semi-naked farmers descended on the premises of the government building and sat outside the office of the local sub-divisional magistrate to demand higher compensation.
The group owns agricultural land in Jewar Bangar village that is being acquired by Gautam Budh Nagar district administration to develop a township. Villagers have been demanding an additional compensation amount of Rs 500 for a sqmt over the rate stipulated by the administration.
Yogesh Talan, one of the protestors who is also the chief of Mewla Gopalgarh village said that they will intensify the protest next week onward. “We will do pind daan to mark the death of the local administration and BJP government and would also tonsure our heads in protest next week if the administration does not budge,” said Talan.
Though the administrative officials had sent the representation of agitating farmers to Uttar Pradesh government for further action 10 days back, no decision has been taken so far.
Administration has to acquire land in Jewar Bangar to develop a township in order to rehabilitate more than 3,600 families. Due to construction work on the Jewar international airport project, the present houses of the families will have to be demolished.