MADURAI: Taking serious view of almost 25 years delay in payment of compensation to a man by the Tirunelveli Adi Dravidar Welfare department, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court warned that if the compensation is not paid by January 20, the Collector's official vehicle and other immovable properties in the collector's office would be seized.
Justice PT Asha passed the interim order recently in a petition filed by the man KL Srinivasan, whose land was acquired by the Adi Dravidar welfare department for a government scheme in February 1997. The authorities were supposed to pay Rs 6.1 lakh to Srinivasan for the said land but no compensation was paid, prompting Srinivasan to approach the court in 2012.
Justice Asha, who heard the said plea this month, came to know that the authorities through the government advocate had assured the court during a hearing on October 10, 2018 that the compensation amount would be paid with interest to Srinivasan by January 2019. Despite the same, the authorities have not paid the amount till now, she noted.
Criticising the Special Tahsildar concerned for disregarding the court’s order, the judge said, "The official has taken the court for a joyride. If the entire compensation amount is not paid with interest within January 20, 2022, the movable properties in the Tirunelveli collector's office should be seized."
The first property to be attached would be the official vehicle of the collector, the judge added. She also directed the Subordinate Judge, Ambasamudram, to verify whether the compensation is paid by the above date.
If it is not paid by January 20, the subordinate judge has been told to instruct the bailiff and the Superintendent of police to initiate the attachment proceedings and report to the court on January 25. The case hearing was adjourned to January 27.