KOCHI: Kochi Metro is all set to start operations from next month. But Apollo Tyres, one of the largest industrial firms in Kerala, is not so happy about it. Though the company had happily handed over 60 cents of land to construct Metro station at Kalamassery, the company has not received a single rupee as compensation till date. In a letter dated March 16, Kochi Metro had asked the company to hand over the remaining 93 cents of land to start construction of the parking area for the Metro station.
As per the agreement for sale of land executed between Apollo Tyres operated PTL Enterprises Limited and Ernakulam District Collector on September 3, 2014, the company is entitled to get a total compensation of Rs 29.36 crore for 1.53 acre land acquired for the Kochi Metro project.
Following this, two D-form cheques dated September 18, 2014 for a total sum of Rs 23.26 crore as 80 per cent of the sale consideration were given to the company. Then company handed over 62.22 cents of land.
“However, the cheques were not honoured on September 18, 2014 as ways and means clearance from finance department is pending. As the matter was kept pending by the government for a long time, we had to approach the Kerala High Court through a writ petition on December 15, 2014 praying for suitable directions to the government to release the payment.
The High Court judgment on March 21, 2016 directed the government to find out whether any reversionary right is vested with the government in the said land. Though the Kerala government had acquired 31.38 acre of land and handed it to us, we paid the entire amount on account of acquisition charges. The government order no. 127 on February 16, 1962 assigned the land to us. We have the possession certificate with us and have been paying land tax since then,” said C Thomas Mathew, Unit Head, Apollo Tyre’s Kalamassery plant.
He pointed out that in 1991 an extent of 0.9 hectares of land for National Highway widening and in 1966 an extent of 0.1497 hectares of land for railways were acquired from the company by the government after paying it required compensation.When contacted, the official spokesperson of Kochi Metro said issues related to land acquisition are dealt by the Revenue Department and the final decision regarding compensation to Apollo Tyres should be taken by them.
When contacted Shajahan, Deputy Collector (LA), Kochi Metro passed the buck to the Finance Department. “At present we can’t do anything in this regard. The cheque we have issued to the company needed a ways and means clearance from the Finance Department. They issued an objection regarding the clearance of the cheque to the treasury. The Finance Department is the sole authority and we can not issue anymore cheque. Meanwhile, a case is pending before the High Court in this regard. Hence anything associated with issue can be taken up only with the direction of the Revenue or the Finance Department,” said the Deputy Collector.
He said Additional Chief Secretary had convened a meeting in Thiruvananthapuram in this regard last week. “At the meeting we came to know that a Government Order will be issued in this regard. Since the deadline to submit a report before the High Court will be expiring this week, we think the maters will not be delayed anymore,” said Shajahan said.