Faridabad investors to raise govt's hackles

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6th Sep, Hindustan Times by Prabhu Razdan

Investors in Greater FARIDABAD: Investors in Greater Faridabad have threatened to take to the streets, protesting what they allege are inordinate delays in providing basic infrastructure in the area.
Meanwhile, the hunger strike by farmers continued for the seventh straight day on Sunday.

Farmers in Faridabad are on hunger strike since August 30, demanding more compensation for their land, to be acquired for development of Greater Faridabad.

Some of the investors in the Nehar Par area -betterknown as Greater Faridabad -have decided to launch an agitation against Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) authorities for inordinate delays in the development of Greater Faridabad.

Some investors working with different private concerns had visited the Hindustan Times office in Faridabad on Saturday, expressing concern at the delay in development of Nehar Par.

The group had earlier held a meeting in Delhi and decided to launch an agitation against HUDA for not laying roads and sewer lines in Greater Faridabad.

“We hold HUDA responsible for the mess in Greater Faridabad,“ said Jayanta, member of an online group of real-estate owners in Greater Faridabad.

“We have invested our hard earned money in Nehar Par area for owing a house to live in. However, this now seems like a distant dream in the absence of the basic infrastructure in the area,“ Jayanta, under whose chairmanship the meeting was held on Saturday, told Hindustan Times.

“So we have decided to hold a protest demonstration outside the HUDA office in Faridabad, for inordinate delays in providing basic infrastructure facilities in Greater Faridabad very soon,“ Jayanta added. “Due to lack of even basic infrastructure facilities like roads, water, sewerage system, no progress is taking place in the Nehar Par area,“ Dheeraj Jain, member of Greater Faridabad Residents Association said.

“This is an area in which scores of people have invested their hard-earned money,“ Jain added. Jain was part of the delegation that visited the Hindustan Times office in Faridabad.

Meanwhile, farmers from the area continued their hunger strike on Sunday.

“Let the government give us market rate for our land. If HUDA did not listen us, the hunger strike will continue indefinitely,“ said Shiv Dutt Vaishist, a lawyer, whose land is also being acquired by the authorities for development of Greater Faridabad.

“The hunger strike is increasingly gaining support from all sections of the society.
Also, most political parties have pledged their support to the farmers' cause,“ said Satpal Narwat, Convenor, Kisaan Sangarsh Samiti.

Meanwhile, HUDA officials seem determined to start physical possession of land for laying of roads and sewer lines in the Nehar Par area.

“The process of physical possession of the land will begin once we complete award formalities,“ said Arvind Malhan, Estates Officer, HUDA, Faridabad.

However, investors are critical of the HUDA for not acquiring the land about four years ago, which is when private developers were allowed to start construction work.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Now-Farid ... 96585.aspx