Times of India: Noida: Tuesday, April 22, 2014.
In response
to an RTI, Noida Authority has replied that a large portion of grazing and
forest land has been allotted to several developers in Noida. Construction is
being carried out on these lands in various sectors, including 117, 113, 79, 77
and 79.
The Supreme
Court in January 2011 had banned diversion of grazing land and forest land for
commercial purpose and had also ordered that the government must provide
compensation if any pasture area was used for urgent community needs like
hospitals and schools.
A Noida
resident, Gopal Saxena, had filed an RTI with Noida Authority seeking details
of land used for commercial purposes in sectors 113, 117, 74 and 79. Replying
to this, the Authority revealed that there is 19,470 sq metres, 54,260 sq
metres, 19,470 sq metres forest land respectively in sectors 113, 117 and 79.
They had earlier stated that about 1,40,000 sq metres of grazing land in Sector
77 had been allotted to seven realtors, who have been developing group housings
projects on the land.
However,
developers' claim that the grazing lands have either been used for development
of roads or greenbelts around their projects. The applicant has demanded a
detailed probe in the issue.
"If we
receive any complaint, we will initiate a detailed investigation. We will
examine on what ground the land use was changed and what was the process
adopted for the change of land use. If we find any irregularities in the entire
investigation, the matter will be brought to the knowledge of the state
government and stringent action will be taken," said AV Rajamauli, Gautam
Budh Nagar district magistrate.
According to
Authority sources, grazing land had been allotted to realtors under the UP
Industrial Act 1976 even though the apex court had banned non-grazing
activities on grazing land.
"Any
attempt by either the villagers or others to encroach upon or illegally convert
the grazing land to housing projects or for other non-grazing use should be
resisted and firm action will be taken," the court had said.
"Grazing
land can be used for building schools or hospitals in special cases. In such
cases, land will be made available only when land is not available anywhere
else," said S D Kautilya, senior advocate, Allahabad high court.