Allahabad HC notice to Greater Noida authority over Abadi land

The court order came while hearing a plea from a group of petitioners seeking the allotment of 6% abadi plots under the authority’s policy

GREATER NOIDA: The Allahabad high court has issued a show-cause notice to the Greater Noida authority for failing to comply to its February 19, 2024 court in a case related to the Abadi land (populated area).

The authority has attributed delays to land disputes, including lease-back claims by original landholders, the alternate plots were allocated to the petitioners in last year’s cases, many similar petitions remain pending. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

“The chief executive officer of the Greater Noida authority to show cause as to why the undertaking given by him and as recorded in para-4 of the order dated 19.02.2024 in writ C number 40408 of 2023 has not been followed resulting in individuals approaching this court by separate petitions for the same relief...,” stated the order delivered by the Allahabad high court justice Anish Kumar Gupta and justice Manoj Kumar Gupta’s bench on November 28, 2024, uploaded on official site on Sunday.

The court order came while hearing a plea from a group of petitioners seeking the allotment of 6% abadi plots under the authority’s policy. The next hearing is scheduled for December 10, 2024.

The matter traces back to two petitions, filed in December 2023, where petitioners sought court directions to the authority for abadi plot allotments. Worried over the growing volume of similar cases, the Allahabad high court directed Greater Noida authority to disclose the number of such pending cases and devise measures to address the issue.

In response, the authority informed the court on February 2024, about plans to engage technical experts for a comprehensive land audit and survey. This exercise was aimed at identifying the vacant land and facilitate the allotment process to eligible beneficiaries within six months.

The court, while disposing of the earlier cases, expressed its expectation that the authority would adhere to its commitments to avoid unnecessary litigation.

“We are taking appropriate step about this court order,” said a Greater Noida authority official aware of the matter.

Despite these assurances, unresolved petitions continue to flood the court.

The authority has attributed delays to land disputes, including lease-back claims by original landholders. The alternate plots were allocated to the petitioners in last year’s cases, many similar petitions remain pending.

The Allahabad high court order has come at a time, when the farmers groups have intensified their agitation demanding 10% developed residential plots for their families as part of the compensation and rehabilitation package against their agricultural land acquired for the developmental works.

In August 2024, a high-level state committee headed by the Revenue Board Chairman rejected the demand for 10% abadi land on legal and technical grounds, and agreed to other farmer demands.

However, the latest protests prompted the state government to form a four-member committee on December 3 to review the implementation of the Revenue Board’s recommendations and address farmers’ concerns.

“The farmers are forced to approach the court to demand their justified compensation and residential plots because the Greater Noida authority has failed to address our grievances so far,” said Alok Nagar, a farmers’ leader.