A sharp decline in the economic activity in the country hurt the circle rates and hence the compensation given to farmers during the land acquisition for the Rs 30,000 crore mega airport in Greater Noida fell, B.N. Singh, District Magistrate, G.B.Nagar has said.Singh was addressing the media in January after the final stage of land acquisition for the first phase of proposed mega airport in Greater Noida was completed even as some land-owners protested lower compensation for their land.

“Economic slowdown hurt the circle rates in areas where the land parcels were acquired for the development of the airport. However, we made sure we give the best price to the farmers,” Singh said. On the protests, he said: “A group of farmers had earlier approached the High Court, but the court had already said it found no merit in the writ petitions; and it was dismissed.” Singh said he conducted many public meetings to convince the farmers. However, farmers claim the region was recently deemed as semi-urban, attracting lower compensation for land, while the area has been traditionally recognised as rural for many years.

With the district administration not agreeing to the demand for higher land price, farmers resorted to agitation in January. A group of about 50 farmers allegedly turned violent and threw stones at officials, including the Sub- Divisional Magistrate.