Ghaziabad: The land row in Mandola area of Ghaziabad is set to spurt yet again as farmers have decided to go on an indefinite fast from May 1. In a meeting held on April 25, farmers decided upon this course of action because administration and police officials have routinely skipped talks scheduled to end the impasse.For the past 17 months, farmers in Mandola who had lost their land to UP Housing Board for a housing project are locked in a stalemate with the state government demanding higher compensation.The last bipartite meeting had been held on February 13 in the presence of the DM and SSP of Ghaziabad along with the Meerut Divisional Commissioner.“An indefinite fast by farmers which had been underway since January 26 was ended by the officials on February 13 with a promise of constructive talks. Officials failed to show up in the meetings scheduled subsequently during the second week of March and on 19 and 24 April thereafter. Local political leaders having their allegiance to the ruling party aren’t allowing the talks,” farmer leader Manveer Teotia told TOI.Around 600 landless people had been awarded plots of 100 square yards each in Mandola for residential purposes by the state government in the year 1982-83. The government had registered these plots in the names of the landless people.“The government is ready for talks with the farmers. However, a number of outsiders who have no stake, whatsoever, in the dispute are trying to politicize the matter and derailing talks on one pretext or the other,” housing board joint commissioner Mahendra Prasad told TOI.

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