Farmers from six villages whose land is awaiting acquisition as part of the Jewar Noida International Airport project’s second phase of expansion have begun protesting against the authorities. The process for acquiring their land is scheduled to start in January 2022.
Land from six villages -- Karauli Bangar, Dayanatpur, Kureb, Ranhera, Mundhera and Nagla Hukum Singh villages -- will be used for setting up the second phase of the Jewar airport.
Uttar Pradesh government has approved the new phase’s social impact assessment report on December 17. According to the farmers, many of their demands are not included in the social impact assessment report.
Towards gaining approval from farmers for airport expansion, the Gautam Budh Nagar administration is planning to hold camps in villages starting January.
The farmers seek to increase the land rates in the second stage. The farmers demand 4X the current circle rates as land compensation as well as other benefits for housing land. During the first stage of airport development, the administration gave the farmers 2X the existing circle rate as compensation. The farmers intend to refuse the consent for land acquisition if the government fails to meet their demands.
Around 500 farmers met at a community centre in Ranhera hamlet to organise a maha panchayat to prepare their agitation for Monday.
Villages categorized as urban belt
In 2020, the state government handed over 1,334 hectares in Jewar to Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a 100% subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG. Zurich Airport International AG was formed as a particular purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop a Jewar airport.
The government offers 4X the current circle rate in rural regions and 2X the circle rate in urban areas, according to norms stated in the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act of 2013. The Uttar Pradesh government categorised these six villages as urban areas from rural in 2017. While acquiring 1,334 hectares of land, the government gave the compensation for urban areas to the farmers.
Villagers demand to know why their villages are included in the urban area category as a rural belt. The farmers alleged that the government intentionally showed the land under the urban category to give low rates for their land.
The government intends to develop the third runway and commercial maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of the aircraft centre in the second phase of development for Jewar airport. The government requires 1,363 hectares adjacent to the existing airport site for the third runway and further expansion.
