Upholding the right of the farmers on their land as uppermost, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the restoration of 156 hectares of
land to them in Greater Noida’s Shahberi village acquired by the Mayawati government in the name of industrial development at a cheap rate but
provided to the builders at a very high price. Upholding the Allahabad high court's order quashing the acquisition, a bench of Justices G.S.
Singhvi and A.K. Ganguly rejected the appeals of the UP government and the real estate companies, while imposing a fine of `10 lakhs on the Greater
Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIADA) for changing the “land use” plan from the industries to housing for the acquired land.
“The entire process of the colourbale exercise of powers by the state government do not require interference,” the bench said while putting its
seal on the HC order and giving GNIADA three months’ time to deposit the fine with the Supreme Court registry.
The top court pointed out though the land was acquired for development of industry in 2009 by using the “urgency” clause of the Land Acquisition
Act, yet the “land use” plan was changed within 11 days of the acquisition to transfer it to the real estate promoters.
Amarpali, Supertech and Ajnara were among the main real estate promoters who provided the land at the rate of more than `10,000 per sq metre after
acquiring from the poor farmers. “You don’t understand the psyche of a farmer and what happens to him when he loses his agriculture land,” the
bench told counsel appearing for the UP government and the real estate firms.