By Express News Service CHENNAI: Days, after the Madras High Court passed an order declaring all lands acquired by the government since 2013 under three State, Acts illegal, the State government on Friday tabled a Bill in the Assembly to override the verdict. The court had held that since the President gave his assent to Centre’s Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act in 2013, amendments made to three State laws — Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Harijan Welfare Scheme Act, TN Highways Act, and TN Industrial Purposes Act — were illegal. The government, however, claimed the High Court order would hamper several projects and cause ‘significant negative impact on the State economy’. The Bill was tabled by minister RB Udayakumar. It said a whopping 23,804 hectares of land had been acquired under the three Acts since 2013, of which just 1,373 hectares had been put to use. Acquisition proceedings are “in progress” for the remaining area, involving an approximate value of `1,84,778 crore. The project, the minister said, was capable of generating 1.83 lakh jobs. The court order had exempted lands which had already been put to use. The bill proposes to apply the provisions relating to the determination of compensation, rehabilitation and infrastructure amenities, as given in the said Central Act to the land acquisitions made under TNActs and validate action already taken under the said Acts.

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