Hundreds of farmers are marching towards the Parliament in a bid to press for a resolution to their long-standing demands related to land acquisition.
According to a report by the Indian Express, farmers from over 140 villages in Noida and Greater Noida are descending on the national capital, although they have met resistance from police, who have stepped up vigil along the Delhi-Noida border, and have stopped hundreds of farmers from reaching their destination.
As of writing this, four protests are underway in the Gautam Buddha Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, where the Jai Jawan Jai Kisan organisation, the All India Kisan Sabha, and the Bharatiya Kisan Parishad are staging protests.
These organisations, on Wednesday, held a mahapanchayat, where they decided to march on the Parliament on Thursday in a bid to force the government to resolve their issues in a time-bound manner.
The protesting farmers have two main demands, namely, compensation for land acquired by various authorities for developmental projects, and reservation of 10 per cent of residential plots on developed lands for their families.
On the land front, the farmers claim that the acquisition of land for development is making them landless: they argue that the current rate which they receive as compensation is inadequate. As per IE, the Noida Authority, the Greater Noida Authority, and the Yamuna Authority grants farmers, 5, 6, and 7 per cent of total acquired land, which farmers deem to be insufficient.
In addition, the farmers are also demanding additional monetary compensation for land acquired earlier, alleging that they have lost on money for land acquired years ago at cheaper rates.
Further, the protesting farmers have been demanding jobs and medical facilities for their families, something they claim has not been resolved yet.
IE reported that authority officials have said that they are in talks with stakeholders to find an amicable solution.
Published 08 February 2024, 12:05 IST