25 July,2011 08:15 AM IST | | Akanksha Upadhyay
Investors and farmers staged separate demonstrations on Sunday
The stalemate at Noida Extension continues. And naturally, it's the end-users who are the most worried. So on Sunday, home buyers along with builders and contractors protested against stoppage of construction work at various housing projects in Greater Noida following court orders. About 36 contractors, who were working with various builders and for the Greater Noida authority, joined hands and highlighted the repercussion of the courts' orders on their livelihood.
Land row-ers: Investors, contractors of Noida Extension demonstrate
Noida Extension Flat Buyers Welfare Association (NEFBWA), which represents nearly 30,000 affected flat owners in the area, is expecting that the Allahabad High Court will admit its applications on July 26 to become a party in the cases related to land acquisition.
The farmers' panchayat. PICs/Mid day
Inflation woes
Ravi Kant, who has invested in a property in Mahagun Mywoods, says he has been assured by his builder in writing that they will return the principal amount along with an 8% interest if they have to leave the project. "I have already given 45% of the entire amount which totals almost to 12 lakh rupees. Even if they pay me the entire amount along with the interest how will I ever get a new home elsewhere? What with the appreciation in land prices in the last one year, it is impossible to get a new home," he said.
Every buyer wants someone from the government or the authority to come to the fore and own up the mess that has been created. Almost all of them are forming unions and groups so that together they can pressurise the authorities.
"We need answers'
Similarly, Ravi Garg who bought a flat in Panchsheel near the Shahberi village and paid almost 40% of the total price said that he wants someone from the authority to stand up. He added that they have received no set time frame or any other confirmation from builders regarding this matter. He said, "We are consumers and we want our rights to be protected. Who is going to compensate for our losses? We were kept in dark by the builders and the authorities and they should be the one paying for it."
Meanwhile, farmers here organised a 'mind-purification' ritual yesterday for officials of the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) as it was allegedly delaying returning land to farmers in Shahberi village despite a Supreme Court order.
Naresh Yadav, gram pradhan, said, "We have given the authority an ultimatum till August 5. We want that all of the land that has been already acquired should be given back along with the remunerations."
Earthly problems
The farmers were agitated because the construction work that has been going on has left their land barren. "But on the government's promise that our demands are being looked into, the panchayat has decided not to stop work at builders' projects till August 5," farmers' leader Veer Singh Yadav said. He added that they have demanded compensation at the rate of Rs 10,000 per sq metre, which is negotiable but it will never be less than Rs 7,000.
Scapegoat?
The axe has fallen on Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority CEO Santosh Kumar Dwiwedi. According to reports, he has been replaced by Pratapgarh district magistrate Pandhari Yadav. Dwiwedi will now be additional commissioner, entertainment tax department.
