Telangana High Court Directs State to Respond in Land Compensation Dispute
The Telangana High Court has issued a directive to the state government, the Jagtial district administration, and other concerned authorities, ordering them to file their counters in a significant petition filed by families displaced due to the Sripada Sagar Yellampalli project. Justice NV Shravan Kumar has mandated that the state and its authorities submit their responses within a strict timeframe of two weeks, after which the matter will be adjourned for further hearing.
Families Seek Release of Rs 58 Crore Compensation
More than twenty petitioners, representing the project oustees, have approached the court with a plea to declare a government order issued in September 2023 as illegal and to set it aside. They argue that this latest order has arbitrarily reduced the compensation that was promised to them over a decade ago for the loss of their lands and homes. The displaced families are seeking an immediate release of Rs 58 crore in compensation, which was originally sanctioned back in 2011.
In addition to the principal amount, the oustees have also requested a direction from the court to release the sanctioned sum along with accrued interest, emphasizing the prolonged delay in disbursement. According to the petition, a total of 126 families from Chegyam village were adversely affected by the land acquisition for the project. Most of these families are daily wage earners belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and minority communities, highlighting the socio-economic vulnerability of those impacted.
Compensation Reduction Termed a Grave Injustice
The petition details a troubling sequence of events regarding the compensation amount. Initially, in 2011, the government sanctioned Rs 58 crore towards compensation for the total acquisition of the village. However, this amount was never disbursed to the affected families. Subsequently, the sanctioned sum was reduced to Rs 28 crore, and most recently, in 2023, it was further slashed to what the petitioners describe as a mere 'token' amount of Rs 18 crore.
Terming this reduction as a grave social injustice, the petitioners have approached the high court to challenge the latest government orders. They have described the Rs 18 crore compensation package as both illegal and inadequate, arguing that it fails to address the significant losses suffered by the displaced families over the years. The case underscores ongoing issues related to land acquisition and compensation in development projects, particularly affecting marginalized communities.
The court's directive to file counters within two weeks sets the stage for a crucial legal battle, with the next hearing expected to delve deeper into the merits of the petition and the state's justification for the compensation reductions.
