News Analysis India

Tag: land acquisition

  • ‘Submit Report On Sandeshkhali Violence’: West Bengal Governor Orders Mamata Govt |

    Kolkata: Sandeshkhali, a village in West Bengal, has become the latest flashpoint of political tension as Governor CV Anand Bose has now demanded a report on Friday’s violence from the Mamata Banerjee-led government. The Raj Bhavan’s directive, coupled with calls for action against the perpetrators, underscored the simmering discontent and accusations swirling around the incident.

    At the heart of the unrest lies a land dispute allegedly involving Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shivprasad Hazra. Angered by claims of forced land acquisition, villagers, including women leading marches, torched Hazra’s poultry farm. They were demanding the arrest of TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh, accused of orchestrating a land ration allotment scam.

    The heavy police presence deployed to quell the protests proved insufficient to contain the villagers’ fury. The fiery act raised questions about the effectiveness of law enforcement and fueled public outrage. “Investigations are underway to determine the cause behind the disturbances in Sandeshkhali over the past three days. All complaints received in the last two days are being thoroughly examined. It is not appropriate to make any statements at the moment, as the matter is under investigation. Adequate police forces are deployed in the area, and the situation is currently under control,” said ADG Law and Order for West Bengal, Manoj Verma.

    While investigations are underway, the blame game has already begun. TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh, pointed fingers at the opposition, claiming CPI(M) and BJP instigated the violence. Two arrests have been made, and Ghosh alleged the unrest is a ploy to divert attention from Mamata Banerjee’s upcoming announcement for MGNREGA workers.

    However, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari painted a different picture. He called the incident a repercussion of the state government’s actions, highlighting concerns about alleged suppression of democracy and silencing of dissent. Adhikari claimed the violence reflects the pent-up anger of the people simmering for years. “We do not support taking the law into one’s hands. What has been happening in the last 12 years there, it seems that democracy is over there. The right to vote and the right to voice one’s opinions is over. Whatever is happening is a normal turn of events. People were angry for a long time and that has come out,” Adhikari said.

    Amidst these opposing narratives, the truth remains under investigation. The Governor’s demand for a report indicates a seriousness to understand the root cause and ensure accountability. However, the political mudslinging threatens to overshadow the voices of the villagers and their grievances.

    Key questions linger: Was the land acquisition legitimate? Did authorities adequately address the villagers’ concerns? Was the violence pre-meditated, or a spontaneous outburst of frustration? Only a transparent and impartial investigation can provide answers and pave the way for a peaceful resolution.

  • Land acquisition plan for 2nd phase of Jewar Airport ready

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW:  The Gautam Budh Nagar district administration is ready with the final proposal for the land acquisition for the second phase of upcoming Noida International airport project. The administration is set to send the proposal to the Uttar Pradesh government soon. The airport, which is being developed in Jewar along the Yamuna Expressway, is touted to be the largest in Asia.

    After getting the proposal, the state government will issue a notification before the commencement of the land acquisition. As per Gautam Budhh Nagar DM Suhas LY, the district administration requires the consent of at least 70 per cent farmers whose land is being acquired for the project under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

    The sources claimed that with the consent of the farmers, the administration will forward the proposal to the state government in next couple of days. The official sources claimed that as per the law, the state government would issue a notification under Section 11 of the Act following which the process of rehabilitation and resettlement of farmers under Section 19 of the same Act and subsequently, proper procedure to acquire land for the project would begin.

    As per the social impact assessment of farmers conducted by a team from Gautam Buddha University, 3,800 families are likely to be displaced. A total of 1,363.45 hectares of land has to be handed over for the second phase of the project and 1,185.69 hectares of it is private.

    Land from six villages including Karoli Bangar, Kureb, Mundhera, Birampur, Dayanatpur and Ranhera, has to be acquired for the same.  The sources claimed that `2,891 crore is needed for the rehabilitation of land owners, of which the administration had already received `1,084 crore from the state government.The remaining amount would be arranged by the Noida, the Greater Noida and the Yamuna Expressway industrial development authority (Yeida).

    ‘Consent of 70% farmers required for project’As per Gautam Budhh Nagar DM Suhas LY, district administration requires the consent of at least 70% farmers whose land is being acquired for the project under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. 

    LUCKNOW:  The Gautam Budh Nagar district administration is ready with the final proposal for the land acquisition for the second phase of upcoming Noida International airport project. The administration is set to send the proposal to the Uttar Pradesh government soon. The airport, which is being developed in Jewar along the Yamuna Expressway, is touted to be the largest in Asia.

    After getting the proposal, the state government will issue a notification before the commencement of the land acquisition. As per Gautam Budhh Nagar DM Suhas LY, the district administration requires the consent of at least 70 per cent farmers whose land is being acquired for the project under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

    The sources claimed that with the consent of the farmers, the administration will forward the proposal to the state government in next couple of days. The official sources claimed that as per the law, the state government would issue a notification under Section 11 of the Act following which the process of rehabilitation and resettlement of farmers under Section 19 of the same Act and subsequently, proper procedure to acquire land for the project would begin.

    As per the social impact assessment of farmers conducted by a team from Gautam Buddha University, 3,800 families are likely to be displaced. A total of 1,363.45 hectares of land has to be handed over for the second phase of the project and 1,185.69 hectares of it is private.

    Land from six villages including Karoli Bangar, Kureb, Mundhera, Birampur, Dayanatpur and Ranhera, has to be acquired for the same.  The sources claimed that `2,891 crore is needed for the rehabilitation of land owners, of which the administration had already received `1,084 crore from the state government.
    The remaining amount would be arranged by the Noida, the Greater Noida and the Yamuna Expressway industrial development authority (Yeida).

    ‘Consent of 70% farmers required for project’
    As per Gautam Budhh Nagar DM Suhas LY, district administration requires the consent of at least 70% farmers whose land is being acquired for the project under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
     

  • Noida airport land acquisition: UP CM Adityanath makes emotional appeal, proposes compensation hike 

    By PTI

    NOIDA: An emotional appeal from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and a promise for increased compensation has once again propelled the upcoming Noida International Airport’s land acquisition from farmers who had denied consent for the project.

    The first phase of the greenfield airport, billed to be India’s largest upon completion and costing an estimated Rs 29,560 crore, is under development in the Jewar area in western Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar district, some 75 km off the national capital Delhi.

    But the mega aviation project of the UP government appeared to have hit turbulence earlier this year when a section of farmers from the six villages, whose land is to be acquired, denied consent to give up their property in lieu of compensation, according to officials.

    The officials said land for the second phase development of the airport is to be acquired from six villages — Ranhera, Kureb, Dayanatpur, Karauli Bangar, Mundrah and Birampur.

    According to The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the consent of at least 70 per cent of land owners is required for acquisition.

    The law also mandates several other features, like rate of compensation, resettlement and rehabilitation facilities, for the government to proceed with land acquisition.

    On October 14, Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh led a group of around 200 farmers to Lucknow where a meeting with Chief Minister Adityanath was held.

    “Hum aap se saudebaazi nahi karna chahte (We do not want to negotiate a deal with you,” Adityanath told the farmers in Lucknow during the meeting, as he promised them a hiked compensation of Rs 3,400 per sq metre (including the interest amount).

    Stressing that the people of Jewar are “like family” to him, Adityanath said, “Your contribution in development of an international airport will be there for your generations to see.”

    The chief minister added that “the development of the region would mean nothing if the people living in Jewar do not reap its benefits.

    According to people privy to the work, the land acquisition process for the second phase had lost momentum for nearly 10 months but has once again gained pace with administration officials and the local MLA holding multiple public meetings this week.

    “The consent for land acquisition has reached 60 per cent now and it is expected to cross the minimum requisite 70 per cent before Diwali,” Jewar MLA Singh told PTI.

    The BJP legislator, who had played a key role in land acquisition for the first phase as well, is currently touring all the six villages in his constituency along with administration officials.

    Deputy Collector (Jewar) Abhay Pratap Singh said a total of 1,365 hectare land is in the second phase of which around 1,185 hectare is owned by private persons (farmers).

    The rest is already owned by the state government.

    “There are 7,164 land owners and consent of a minimum 5,015 owners is required for land acquisition. So far, we have got the consent of around 4,300 farmers. The compensation amount would be transferred directly to land owner’s bank accounts in April 2023 in accordance with the government rules,” Singh told PTI.

    The deputy collector added that the administration has instructions from the chief minister to ensure that all support and cooperation are offered to the villagers and consent sought amiably.

    Singh was part of negotiations for the first phase land acquisition from 2018 in the administration team led by the then District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh that broke consent impasse with farmers.

    Both were transferred out of Gautam Buddh Nagar in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

    Deputy Collector Singh was recently brought back by the government as sub-divisional magistrate for Jewar.

    According to officials, the airport is being developed in four phases by the Switzerland-based concessionaire Zurich International Airport AG’s special purpose vehicle Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL).

    In the first phase spread, which is scheduled to be completed by 2024 end, operations will begin with one runway and a capacity of handling 1.20 crore passengers annually by then.

    The first phase will be spread over 1,300 hectare, according to officials. The airport is billed to be India’s largest airport upon full completion in the 2040s. It will be spread over 5,000 hectare, the officials added.

    NOIDA: An emotional appeal from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and a promise for increased compensation has once again propelled the upcoming Noida International Airport’s land acquisition from farmers who had denied consent for the project.

    The first phase of the greenfield airport, billed to be India’s largest upon completion and costing an estimated Rs 29,560 crore, is under development in the Jewar area in western Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar district, some 75 km off the national capital Delhi.

    But the mega aviation project of the UP government appeared to have hit turbulence earlier this year when a section of farmers from the six villages, whose land is to be acquired, denied consent to give up their property in lieu of compensation, according to officials.

    The officials said land for the second phase development of the airport is to be acquired from six villages — Ranhera, Kureb, Dayanatpur, Karauli Bangar, Mundrah and Birampur.

    According to The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, the consent of at least 70 per cent of land owners is required for acquisition.

    The law also mandates several other features, like rate of compensation, resettlement and rehabilitation facilities, for the government to proceed with land acquisition.

    On October 14, Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh led a group of around 200 farmers to Lucknow where a meeting with Chief Minister Adityanath was held.

    “Hum aap se saudebaazi nahi karna chahte (We do not want to negotiate a deal with you,” Adityanath told the farmers in Lucknow during the meeting, as he promised them a hiked compensation of Rs 3,400 per sq metre (including the interest amount).

    Stressing that the people of Jewar are “like family” to him, Adityanath said, “Your contribution in development of an international airport will be there for your generations to see.”

    The chief minister added that “the development of the region would mean nothing if the people living in Jewar do not reap its benefits.

    According to people privy to the work, the land acquisition process for the second phase had lost momentum for nearly 10 months but has once again gained pace with administration officials and the local MLA holding multiple public meetings this week.

    “The consent for land acquisition has reached 60 per cent now and it is expected to cross the minimum requisite 70 per cent before Diwali,” Jewar MLA Singh told PTI.

    The BJP legislator, who had played a key role in land acquisition for the first phase as well, is currently touring all the six villages in his constituency along with administration officials.

    Deputy Collector (Jewar) Abhay Pratap Singh said a total of 1,365 hectare land is in the second phase of which around 1,185 hectare is owned by private persons (farmers).

    The rest is already owned by the state government.

    “There are 7,164 land owners and consent of a minimum 5,015 owners is required for land acquisition. So far, we have got the consent of around 4,300 farmers. The compensation amount would be transferred directly to land owner’s bank accounts in April 2023 in accordance with the government rules,” Singh told PTI.

    The deputy collector added that the administration has instructions from the chief minister to ensure that all support and cooperation are offered to the villagers and consent sought amiably.

    Singh was part of negotiations for the first phase land acquisition from 2018 in the administration team led by the then District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh that broke consent impasse with farmers.

    Both were transferred out of Gautam Buddh Nagar in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

    Deputy Collector Singh was recently brought back by the government as sub-divisional magistrate for Jewar.

    According to officials, the airport is being developed in four phases by the Switzerland-based concessionaire Zurich International Airport AG’s special purpose vehicle Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL).

    In the first phase spread, which is scheduled to be completed by 2024 end, operations will begin with one runway and a capacity of handling 1.20 crore passengers annually by then.

    The first phase will be spread over 1,300 hectare, according to officials. The airport is billed to be India’s largest airport upon full completion in the 2040s. It will be spread over 5,000 hectare, the officials added.

  • Cheetahs at KNP: Villagers fear land acquisition, human-animal conflict

    By PTI

    SHEOPUR: Amid the excitement over the arrival of Cheetahs in the Kuno National Park, villagers in the surrounding areas of Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district have a variety of concerns including the fear of land acquisition and the fear of the big cat itself.

    Some people are, however, optimistic that once the KNP becomes famous for its new entrants, increased tourist footfall will create jobs.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning released eight cheetahs brought from Namibia into a quarantine enclosure at the KNP as part of a project to revive the population of the animal which became extinct in India in 1952.

    “What will happen to my small food outlet when the remaining four-five villages are shifted for the park? We are already affected financially because of the relocation of 25 villages for the Kuno Park over the last 15 years,” said Radheshyam Yadav, a vendor selling snacks and tea on Sheopur-Shivpuri road, speaking to PTI.

    His shop is at Sesaipura, 15 km from the KNP. Ramkumar Gurjar, a farmer, has apprehension that the people of Sesaipura will lose their livelihood due to a nearby dam project.

    “Villages were shifted earlier for the national park. Now a dam project is coming up on Kuno river in the nearby Katila area. This project is going to affect at least 50 villages which are connected to Sesaipura. After their shifting, what will happen to grocery, clothes and other small business outlets in Sesaipura? Then our village will be left alone here,” Gurjar told PTI.

    ALSO READ: India releases eight cheetahs into the wild, seven decades after local extinction

    Asked about the hope that the cheetahs will bring more tourists, he claimed that the hospitality business will be run by “rich outsiders” and local residents will only get menial jobs in hotels and restaurants.

    Santosh Gurjar, another resident, said that following the shifting of villages, a local shopkeeper who sold groceries, fertilizer and seeds had to shift to Shivpuri for lack of business.

    Dharmendra Kumar Ojha, who runs a clothes shop, apprehended that cheetahs may enter the villages.

    “What will the local people get from this project? Outsiders are buying up land for hotels and restaurants. The relocation of villages will further affect the business. But the project will bring infrastructural development,” Ojha said.

    Surat Singh Yadav, who runs a tea shop on the road leading to the national park, believes that the cheetah reintroduction project will generate employment in the area.

    “Land prices are going up. Those having legal title of land are asking for higher prices. There is a temporary jump in the business due to the PM’s programme but I can not say about the future,” he said.

    ALSO READ| Arrival of African cheetahs in India: A look back at the legal tangles and court battles

    Another shopkeeper, Keshav Sharma, claimed that his business has grown three times.

    “Land prices have gone up. Tourists used to come here in small numbers earlier but their numbers will certainly go up now,” he said.

    Kailash, a labourer and resident of village Tiktoli, two km from the KNP’s entry gate, was nervous about the future. “I don’t know about benefits, but I am afraid because the cheetah has come here. Where will we go,” he said.

    Kamal, who belongs to Tiktoli and currently lives in Sheopur, said the village has no water supply, telephone network and jobs and the only source of livelihood is subsistence farming.

    SHEOPUR: Amid the excitement over the arrival of Cheetahs in the Kuno National Park, villagers in the surrounding areas of Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district have a variety of concerns including the fear of land acquisition and the fear of the big cat itself.

    Some people are, however, optimistic that once the KNP becomes famous for its new entrants, increased tourist footfall will create jobs.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning released eight cheetahs brought from Namibia into a quarantine enclosure at the KNP as part of a project to revive the population of the animal which became extinct in India in 1952.

    “What will happen to my small food outlet when the remaining four-five villages are shifted for the park? We are already affected financially because of the relocation of 25 villages for the Kuno Park over the last 15 years,” said Radheshyam Yadav, a vendor selling snacks and tea on Sheopur-Shivpuri road, speaking to PTI.

    His shop is at Sesaipura, 15 km from the KNP. Ramkumar Gurjar, a farmer, has apprehension that the people of Sesaipura will lose their livelihood due to a nearby dam project.

    “Villages were shifted earlier for the national park. Now a dam project is coming up on Kuno river in the nearby Katila area. This project is going to affect at least 50 villages which are connected to Sesaipura. After their shifting, what will happen to grocery, clothes and other small business outlets in Sesaipura? Then our village will be left alone here,” Gurjar told PTI.

    ALSO READ: India releases eight cheetahs into the wild, seven decades after local extinction

    Asked about the hope that the cheetahs will bring more tourists, he claimed that the hospitality business will be run by “rich outsiders” and local residents will only get menial jobs in hotels and restaurants.

    Santosh Gurjar, another resident, said that following the shifting of villages, a local shopkeeper who sold groceries, fertilizer and seeds had to shift to Shivpuri for lack of business.

    Dharmendra Kumar Ojha, who runs a clothes shop, apprehended that cheetahs may enter the villages.

    “What will the local people get from this project? Outsiders are buying up land for hotels and restaurants. The relocation of villages will further affect the business. But the project will bring infrastructural development,” Ojha said.

    Surat Singh Yadav, who runs a tea shop on the road leading to the national park, believes that the cheetah reintroduction project will generate employment in the area.

    “Land prices are going up. Those having legal title of land are asking for higher prices. There is a temporary jump in the business due to the PM’s programme but I can not say about the future,” he said.

    ALSO READ| Arrival of African cheetahs in India: A look back at the legal tangles and court battles

    Another shopkeeper, Keshav Sharma, claimed that his business has grown three times.

    “Land prices have gone up. Tourists used to come here in small numbers earlier but their numbers will certainly go up now,” he said.

    Kailash, a labourer and resident of village Tiktoli, two km from the KNP’s entry gate, was nervous about the future. “I don’t know about benefits, but I am afraid because the cheetah has come here. Where will we go,” he said.

    Kamal, who belongs to Tiktoli and currently lives in Sheopur, said the village has no water supply, telephone network and jobs and the only source of livelihood is subsistence farming.

  • Land acquisition for setting up Nagarnar Steel Plant will be completed by the end of November

    The Cabinet Secretary of the Government of India, Shri Rajiv Goba today inquired from the Chief Secretaries of the state about the progress of multi-purpose road project-rail project-iron-steel projects being constructed in the states through video conferencing. Mr. Goba inquired about the steel plant to be set up in Nagarnar village in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh. Chief Secretary Shri R.P. The Board informed that out of 61 villages affected by the construction of Nagarnar Steel Plant, land acquisition and other processes have been completed in 57 villages. The process of land acquisition in the remaining four villages will be completed by the end of November 2020. Additional Chief Secretary Forest Industry Department Mr. Manoj Pingua and Secretary Revenue Department Ms. Rita Shandilya were also present in the meeting.