Submit cheques prepared for R&R in Mallannasagar project: Telangana HC

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to hand over to it the cheques which were prepared in favour of the oustees of the land acquired to construct the Mallannasagar project so that it would ensure the victims get their due as part of being compensated for losing their land.

The division bench comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Shameem Akther was dealing with a petition by residents of Vemulaghat of Thoguta mandal in Siddipet district, seeking to direct the revenue and land acquisition authorities not to interfere with the possession of their lands.

The petitioners had challenged the award inquiry notices and declaration of an award by the authorities for their lands, despite their objections on the notification for land acquisition issued on July 29, 2017.

Mr Sanjeev Kumar, special counsel for the state government, submitted that the petitioners were not coming forward to take the cheques prepared as part of the rehabilitation package. He said the government had offered 2BHK houses to families whose houses had been submerged in the project. If they did not evince interest in taking the houses, they were offered the cheques of `5,04,000.

The bench while adjourning the case to June 18 directed Mr Kumar to bring the cheques pertaining to the R&R package, which would be handed over to counsel for the petitioners. “People who are project-affected cannot be deprived of the benefit of rehabilitation and re-settlement which they are entitled to. Do the needful for the oustees by July 18,” Justice Chauhan said.