HYDERABAD: Disagreeing with the Andhra Pradesh government’s contention that no affected families were found eligible to get rehabilitation and resettlement package under the Land Acquisition Act 2013 during the door to door survey conducted in connection with 448 land acquisition notifications, a division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday directed the Commissioner of Rehabilitation and Resettlement of AP to submit a detailed report regarding the land acquisition process of the said notifications issued by the AP government for various projects in the State.
The bench also directed the authorities concerned to complete the process of providing rehabilitation and resettlement benefits to the affected families in respect to the remaining 152 land acquisition notifications by May-end. “The officials who show enthusiasm in acquiring lands are not showing the same while extending benefits to the affected families. The officials will understand the difficulties of the affected persons only if their salaries are stopped.
If there is no change in the attitude of the officials, then the court will stop the entire land acquisition process in the State,” the bench cautioned and suggested the government to challenge before the Supreme Court if it has any objection towards its orders.The bench of Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice K Vijaya Lakshmi was passing these orders while considering a PIL filed by the AP Agricultural Workers’ Union, represented by its general secretary V Venkateswarlu, seeking justice to the persons affected due to land acquisition notifications issued for various projects in the State.
The petitioner sought directions to the State government for providing benefits to the affected persons, who included agriculture labourers who were dependent on the lands acquired by the government for various projects. On an earlier occasion, the AP Advocate General told the court that four months time was required for identifying the affected families in respect to 600 land acquisition notifications issued across the State.
Not satisfied with the AG’s submission that no affected families were identified during the door to door survey in connection with 448 land acquisition notifications, the bench granted time till May 2 for getting written instructions from the officials. When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, AP special counsel Ramesh told the court that no affected families or the persons who lost their livelihood were found eligible to get rehabilitation and resettlement benefits under the Act 2013 in respect of 448 notifications. As for the remaining 152 notifications, awards for extending the benefits were yet to be passed, he added.
Disputing with the above submissions, the petitioner’s counsel, while referring to the issue of land acquisition for a solar project at Oravakallu in Kurnool district, pointed out that the officials have failed to identify the affected families. In fact, cases were registered against those who were seeking benefits under the Act. Even the land owners concerned were eligible to get the benefits under the Act, he contended.
The special counsel sought some time to complete the acquisition process in Oravakallu area. The bench said that there was a need of first getting all details pertaining to the above land acquisitions and then constitute an advocate commission to ascertain the facts. As for Oravakallu issue, the bench directed the authorities to complete the process of identifying the affected families and issue of awards by May 31, and to submit the same before the court by next date of hearing. If the authorities fail to complete the same, the Kurnool district collector would be summoned for explanation, the bench warned. The bench posted the matter to June 4.
Murky issue
PIL filed in HC by the AP Agricultural Workers’ Union seeking justice to the persons affected due to land acquisition notifications issued for various projects in the State
HC directed State government to conduct door to door survey to identify the affected persons
AG’s submitted that no affected families were identified during the door to door survey in connection with 448 land acquisition notifications
Not satisfied with the AG’s submission, bench granted time till May 2 for getting written instructions from the officials
On May 2, special counsel of told the court that no affected families or the persons who lost their livelihood were found eligible to get rehabilitation and resettlement benefits under the Act 2013 in respect of 448 notifications
As for the remaining 152 notifications, awards for extending the benefits were yet to be passed
Court sought detailed report on the 448 land acquisition notifications issued by the govt