In the heart of Noida's Hindon floodplain, a 15‑day protest has intensified as women go on a week‑long hunger strike near Parthala Bridge in Sector 123.
Sukhbir Khalifa, national president of Bharatiya Kisan Parishad, told NDTV that 4 to 5 lakh families have lived in the Pushta Park area for a decade without electricity, water or basic services, spanning 45 colonies in some places 60–70 colonies.
The protestors argue that the area’s flood‑zone label is a pretext. High‑rise buildings sit 100 metres from the Hindon riverbank, while the protest site lies 1.5 kilometres away. “Other flood‑zone areas in Allahabad, Agra and Delhi enjoy power connections,” Khalifa said.
Residents say electricity is supplied only through informal means, and no written order has been issued, even though some connections exist. “We are ready to install meters ourselves if the authorities provide us electricity connections,” Pinky, a Vishnunagar resident, added, noting that four people died from electrocution in the past four years while trying to restore power.
Kanti Devi, another protester, questioned why plots were sold in an area now declared a swamp. “We spent our savings on these homes and still live without fans or electricity,” she said, pointing out that solar power fails at night.
The sit‑in will continue until the electricity department offers a written assurance of connections. Officials have yet to respond, leaving the community to endure powerlessness while the government wrestles with its flood‑zone policies.