High court allows three months to decide denotification of farmers’ land from Hi-Tech City Township

Source: hindustantimes.com

The Allahabad high court, in an order over a petition filed by several farmers from Ghaziabad affected by the Hi-Tech city township near NH-9, has directed the Ghaziabad development authority (GDA) to consider their plea and decide within three months.

The farmers had moved court in a bid to get the layout maps of their land sanctioned, or exempt their land from the area earmarked for development of the township.

According to GDA officials, the state government had given two licences under the Hi-Tech City Township policy and the farmers under the notified area were to sell their land only to these developers. The petitioners contended that in spite of a memorandum of understanding signed between the developer and the authority in 2011, there was little progress made in respect of construction of Hi-Tech city and the applications of land holders for development of their land were held up, thereby causing severe monetary losses.

“There had been several meetings, which we held recently between the developers and the farmers. The developer said that they will be able to resume purchase of the pending land once they get possession of their 700 acre for which they paid but did not get physical possession. The farmers on the other hand have requested for denotification of their land from the area earmarked for the township development,” said Kanchan Verma, authority’s vice chairperson.

“Since there has been no outcome after the meetings, we have referred the matter to the state government to take a call as denotification is a policy matter. The developer was to complete the construction within a time frame. They have asked for more time. Their application is pending before the government. The high court has provided three months time to decide the issue,” Verma added.

According to GDA officials two projects under the state government’s Hi-Tech City policy were given licenses. One of the developers was to purchase about 4,004 acres but purchased only 2850 acres till date, they said. They added that the other developer was to purchase about 4000 acre but could purchase only about 750 acre so far.

“Needless to say that we have not expressed our opinion on the merit of the case and the authority concerned is free to pass a reasoned order, in accordance with law,” the high court said in its order on July 27.

The spokesperson for the developer said, “Our endeavour is to buy all the land notified to us under the Hi-tech township licence within the next 3 to 4 years. We have been informed by the authorities that the matter is under consideration of the state government. We shall await and abide by the state government’s decision.”