SME Times News Bureau | 07 Jul, 2011
The farmers of Singur in West Bengal Wednesday expressed happiness over the Supreme Court's decision to quash the acquisition of land in Shahberi village of Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida.

"We are happy that the farmers will be returned their lands. I know how it feels when your land is snatched away," said Paromita Das who herself is looking forward to getting back her land takenover by the state government.

The erstwhile Left Front regime acquired 997 acres of land in this rural belt of Hooghly district for setting up of an automobile factory by Tata Motors.

The project had to be scrapped after alleged forcible acquisition saw two years of sustained agitation under Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, the new state chief minister.

"I am not aware of the legal complexities but I am happy for the farmers (in Greater Noida). Hopefully, we too will see such a day soon," said Joothika Manna who had to lose her family land, which was the only source of livelihood.

Mahadeb Das another farmer who had spearheaded agitations against forcible acquisition welcomed the verdict and said it will make the people more hopeful about getting back their own land.

An apex court bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice A.K. Ganguly Wednesday held that the acquisition of 156 hectares of village land in Greader Noida under the emergency provisions of the Land Acquisition Act (Section 19) was bad in law.

The Bahujan Samaj Party government in Utttar Pradesh took over the land in Shahberi village under the emergency provisions of the act which denies landowners the right to be heard.