noida: Scores of villagers, including women and elderly people, protested against the National Thermal Power Corporation in Dadri on Wednesday demanding increased compensation of their land acquired by NTPC in 1970s. At Rasoolpul village in Greater Noida, land from farmers of over 20 villages was acquired around 35 years ago to set up NTPC plant. Local villagers said that they have been protesting for past 30 years for the rights of the farmers as they were not provided what was promised to them.
"We have been demanding equal compensation for all villagers, employment and facilities related to education and medical sector. The government had promised to provide education, jobs, playground and hospital in the area but nothing has happened. They also promised to provide free electricity in all villages falling in 10 kms radius of the plant but nothing has been fulfilled," protesting people said.
With the protest getting intensified on Wednesday, heavy deployment of police force along with UP-PAC, remained deployed at the village. "Since the protesters were turning violent and also pelted stones on police personnel, we had to use mild force and water canons in order to pacify them," Nitin Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of police, Greater Noida said.
The officer further said that police have registered a case against nearly 500 unidentified and 53 identified persons under sections of rioting, causing obstruction to a public officer and inciting violence and other relevant sections of the IPC.
Meanwhile, the NTPC Dadri said it was examining the demands of the protestors as per its policies and rules. "Due to non-availability of vacancies it is not possible to provide permanent employment. In order to increase employment, skill development programmes through CSR initiatives are among top priorities for the youth of affected villages in Dadri area," the NTPC said in a statement.
"NTPC Dadri is taking steps for holistic development of nearby villages with emphasis on education, health, infrastructure development and skill development and will continue to do so," it added.