Hindon Floodplain Residents Protest in Noida After Police Stop March For Electricity Connections

Residents of the Hindon floodplains staged a protest on Thursday after authorities allegedly stopped them from marching to the district magistrate’s office in Sector 27 to demand regular electricity connections. The demonstration took place near the Sector 16 power house, where protesters raised slogans outside the chief engineer’s office before submitting a memorandum to the city magistrate.

Protesters said nearly 100,000 people reside in settlements along the Hindon floodplains in Noida and Greater Noida, many of whom lack formal electricity connections. Local families reportedly rely on candles for lighting and struggle to charge essential devices such as mobile phones. Residents expressed frustration over long-standing inaction despite repeated requests to authorities.

Vijay Kumar, a resident, said he purchased a 60-square-metre plot years ago for around ₹7 lakh, unaware that it fell within a floodplain zone. “The registry was completed without any objection. Now authorities say the area is unauthorised and power connections cannot be given,” he explained, highlighting the challenges faced by families trying to access basic utilities in these settlements.

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Sunita Devi, a daily-wage worker, said residents often resort to illegal wiring or generators at night, which are risky and expensive. “We are asking for a basic facility that others in the city have,” she added. The protest was supported by members of the Bhartiya Kisan Parishad, with Sukhveer Khalifa, president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union, noting that residents have been staging a sit-in outside the engineer’s office since February 9 due to a lack of response.

Noida city magistrate Arvind Kumar Mishra said the power department has prepared a report on the matter and forwarded it to the government, adding that further action will depend on policy decisions at higher levels. Officials from Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (PVVNL Noida zone) stated that electricity connections cannot be provided without a clear government directive, describing the issue as a policy matter.

The protest comes amid ongoing enforcement of National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders directing authorities to clear encroachments from the Hindon floodplains. The NGT has maintained that no unauthorised construction can be permitted in this eco-sensitive zone, creating a conflict between residents’ demands for basic services and environmental regulations.

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