HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Friday pulled up the State government for non-payment of compensation to farmers after acquiring their agricultural lands for various projects.A bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice A Rajashekar Reddy made strong comments against the government, saying that the land owners and farmers were not beggars and that the government was not doing any charity in paying their rightful compensation.
The bench further observed that owing to the government’s delay tactics, hundreds of land owners who gave up their land were approaching courts with writ petitions and PILs demanding their rightful compensation.The court was hearing a contempt case filed by B Linganna and others whose lands were acquired for Sri Ram Sagar Project (SRSP). The case was filed after an award passed in 1991 has not been implemented as an execution petition (EP) was pending before the civil court since 2008.
On the directions of the bench, Principal Secretary (Finance) Rama Krishna Rao appeared before the court. The Special Government Pleader appeared before the court and informed the bench that the amount demanded by farmers was more than five times the value of `10,00,000. That amount has been deposited recently, he informed the court.