Airport Ph-1 land: Villagers protest, demand higher compensation

NOIDA: The chief minister's decision to give enhanced compensation to landowners for the second phase of the Noida airport has triggered a protest by villagers who parted with their plots at a lower rate in the first stage.
About 3,500 farmer families from six villages who gave their land for the airport were rehabilitated at Jewar Bangar a year ago by the district administration that promised a better lifestyle for them in the model township being developed there.
On Thursday, a group of villagers held a panchayat at the township to discuss the next course of action. They decided they would submit a memorandum to the sub-divisional magistrate on October 27 and then hold a "peaceful" demonstration in the villages where land has been acquired.
Rohit Singh, a resident of Nangla Ganeshi, said, "We do not understand the basis of the enhanced compensation for the second phase of the airport. The land is from the same area. We demand equal compensation and other facilities."
Officials clarified that enhanced compensation could not be given as all payments related to the first phase of the project had been made. The villagers have been plots and other facilities in keeping with the agreement with them, they added.
After the chief minister's announcement on October 12, the rate at which plots will be acquired now is Rs 3,400 per sqm as against Rs 2,300 per sqm earlier. For the Noida international airport, 1,334 hectares have been acquired in six villages -- Rohi, Nagla Phoolkhan, Nagla Ganeshi, Nagla Cheetar, Nagla Sharif Khan and Dayanatpur Kheda. The township where the villagers have been shifted is being developed across 50 hectares and at a cost of Rs 300 crore. Based on a survey of the houses of the affected families, the plot sizes have been decided for them in the new township, ranging from 50-500sqm.