Land acquired for MRTS, but compensation puzzle continues

  • | Friday | 22nd November, 2019

Apart from that, a 100% solatium for land, buildings and trees was fixed along with 12% additional market value for land, per year for five years (60% of the land value). The Madras High Court has passed a judgement. It was in February 2011, the government invoked urgency clause of land acquisition following which the landowners approached the court for fair compensation under the new land acquisition act. The special tahsildar of land acquisition fixed the compensation amount and issued award notice but the landowners objected to it as the land price fixed was lower than the earlier land price fixed as per the old land acquisition act. On November 26, 2018, the compensation was turned down by the petitioners who demanded compensation based on the 2014 guideline value.

C Shivakumar By Express News Service CHENNAI: Five months after the Tamil Nadu government passed a Government Order regarding taking over 500 metres of land from the landowners for the Second Phase extension of Mass Rapid Transit System, following a Madras High Court order in March 2019, the landowners are yet to get the compensation. K Velusamy, one of the landowners, told Express that after the Madras High court judgement, the State government passed a Government Order on June 12, 2019, wherein it fixed the compensation value of the land as per the Madras High Court judgement based on Guideline Value of January 1, 2014, as Rs 4,500 and Rs 3,500. Apart from that, a 100% solatium for land, buildings and trees was fixed along with 12% additional market value for land, per year for five years (60% of the land value). “The overall enhanced compensation to be paid to the landowners is Rs 51.71 crore but the government is yet to pay us the amount. We have vacated our houses but are yet to be paid the compensation,” says Velusamy. “I am 78-year-old and a heart patient. I am a retired railway employee. The Madras High Court has passed a judgement. The State government issued a GO. But till now, I have not got the compensation. If I develop a heart attack and die, the government is responsible for the delay in paying us compensation,” said K Ramasundaram. When Express contacted officials, they said that the process of paying the compensation is in final stages. “It will soon be paid,” the official said.This means the compensation, which was delaying the project for the last 12 years since the work on the 5km stretch-Velachery to St Thomas Mount, for a distance of 500m, was riddled by litigation, is yet to be paid after the Madras High Court order. It was in February 2011, the government invoked urgency clause of land acquisition following which the landowners approached the court for fair compensation under the new land acquisition act. The special tahsildar of land acquisition fixed the compensation amount and issued award notice but the landowners objected to it as the land price fixed was lower than the earlier land price fixed as per the old land acquisition act. This resulted in a stay by Madras High Court and on October 4, 2018, the court constituted a negotiation committee comprising of member secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, chief engineer construction, Southern Railways and the Chennai district collector. They were directed to submit a report to the court within two months. The revised compensation was worked out and the Negotiation committee offered Rs 8,422 per square foot as compensation. On November 26, 2018, the compensation was turned down by the petitioners who demanded compensation based on the 2014 guideline value. On November 29, 2018, the second meeting was convened wherein the maximum compensation to be given would be Rs 8,422 per square foot, including 225% of market value. The petitioners rejected the Committee’s proposal and submitted representation for higher compensation of Rs 12,375 per square foot. The High Court then intervened and directed to take the date for calculation of market value of the new land acquisition act (January 1, 2014) based on the clarification given by Department of Land Resources, Union government and Supreme Court, to pass the award.

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