KARIMNAGAR: The delay in payment of enhanced compensation to land oustees had proved costly for the Special Deputy Collector, the designated land acquisition officer, of Pranahitha-Chevella project, which is now redesigned as Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS). As the officials delayed payment of Rs 12 lakh amount to the oustees, the court had ordered seizure of furniture and computers from the office of the Special Deputy Collector in Karimnagar.
The compensation pertains to the lands taken from Vangapalli in Kamalapur mandal (presently in Warangal Urban district after reorganisation of districts).The district administration had acquired 15.32 acres from farmers in 1985 for road digging works. As per the market value, the authorities paid a compensation of Rs 24,000 per acre for uplands and Rs 25,100 for fertile lands. However, not happy with the assessment of the market value, the farmers approached the court and got a judgment in 2007 in their favour for enhanced compensation.
The district administration, however, failed to honour the verdict and the farmers once again approached the court in 2008. The court pulled up the authorities for their failure to pay Rs 12 lakh. Again, the authorities did not heed the court’s directions and the issue was kept pending.Taking a serious view of the delay and also the attitude of the officials in not honouring its directions, the court ordered seizure of furniture and other material in the office. The Special Deputy Collector office is functioning from the revenue guest house located on the back side of the district collectorate.
Office staff suffer
With the seizure of almirahs, chairs and tables from the office, the files were lying on the ground in the respective sections. With no chairs to sit and work, the office staff were put to inconvenience. An official, on condition of anonymity, said they will write to the government seeking release of the Rs 12 lakh compensation for paying to the farmers at the earliest.