Ghaziabad, Sept. 23 -- The Ghaziabad Development Authority's (GDA) flagship 521-hectare Harnandipuram housing scheme has hit a roadblock, with farmers from eight villages opposing the administration's move to keep circle rates for agricultural land unchanged-allegedly at the behest of the GDA. Farmers allege the authority wrote to the stamps and registration department on August 8, urging that no hike be made in agricultural land rates. A copy of this letter was shared by villagers during a panchayat on Sunday. It states GDA's contention that rates of procuring land will rise if circle rates are hiked for the villages. Notably, GDA proposed the scheme and intended to procure agricultural land based on direct purchase from farmers of Mathurapur, Shamsher, Champat Nagar, Bhaneda Khurd, Nagla Firoz Mohanpur, Bhovapur, Shahpur Nij Morta, and Morta villages. "The letter was written in the interest of authority, as any hike would financially impact GDA while purchasing land from eight villages. But it was only a suggestion. The district collector is final authority to decide the circle rates," said Rudresh Shukla, media coordinator, GDA. Farmers are upset as residential land rates in the villages have been revised upward, agricultural rates, relevant to land GDA aims to acquire-remain static."Farmers this week will give representations to the DM and public representatives for an intervention," said Daksh Nagar, a resident of Mathurapur....