Greater Noida: HC orders status quo

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday directed the Greater Noida Authority to maintain status quo in connection with the acquisition proceedings of land in at least two villages and posted the matter for hearing in July.

Farmers of two villages,Bisrakhpur and Devla,had challenged the acquisition proceedings initiated by the Greater Noida Authority. It was alleged that though the land was being acquired in the name of planned industrial development,it was actually being given to a few builders. A Division Bench,comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and Ranvijay Singh directed the authorities to maintain status quo in the acquisition proceedings. The court did not go into the merits of the arguments. It was pointed out by the petitioners that the Authority was in the process of acquiring nearly 32 hectares of land in the two villages.

Following a series of annulments of land acquisition carried out by Greater Noida Authority,farmers from various villages,whose lands are in the process of getting acquired,approached the court with petitions. With the summer vacation beginning from June 1,these petitions are likely to be taken up by the court in July.