The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to decide afresh the compensation to be paid to farmers whose land is to be acquired for the widening of the approach road to Gift City that connects the international financial services centre to Chiloda Highway. The court also ordered that the reassessment of the compensation has to be done following the procedures laid down under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and as per the prevalent market rates. Also, the court directed the authorities to pay the compensation to the land owners within a period of six months. Notably, the directions were issued by the division bench of Acting Chief Justice AS Dave and Justice Biren Vaishnav while pronouncing its verdict in a bunch of petitions filed by farmers pointing out the non-payment of compensation for their land, which was to be acquired for the project. The verdict is going to benefit around 40 farmers. According to the counsel for the farmers Saurabh Amin, the process for acquisition of land for the widening of the approach road from the existing 30-meters to 45-meters started in the year 2011 under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. After the publication of preliminary notification in 2011, the declaration that the land was required for public purpose was made a year later. It was the contention of Amin that under Section 11 A of the Act of 1894, the collector is supposed to ascertain the compensation and make an award to the land losers within a period of two years from the declaration. However, the same was not carried out and therefore, the farmers moved court. "Now, the court has ordered the authorities to compute the compensation for the land owners as per the procedure laid down under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and the state government will have to pay as per the prevalent market rates," Amin told DNA. AUTHORITIES TOLD TO PAY IN SIX MONTHS

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