HC Notice to Govt on Delay in Compensation
The government had initially issued a Government Order sanctioning Rs 58 crore as compensation for the affected families.
Hyderabad:The Telangana High Court has directed the state government to file its counter-affidavit within two weeks in a writ petition filed by families displaced by the Sripadasagar Yellampalli Project, who allege that compensation has not been paid for nearly two decades.
The petitioners stated that the erstwhile government of undivided Andhra Pradesh had acquired the entire Chegyam village in Velgatoor mandal of Jagtial district, then part of Karimnagar district, for the project. According to the petition, around 126 families lost their village due to the land acquisition.
The government had initially issued a Government Order sanctioning Rs 58 crore as compensation for the affected families. However, the petitioners contended that the amount was later reduced to Rs 28 crore and was not released.
Counsel for the petitioners, advocate Dunna Ambedkar, submitted that the Telangana government, in August 2023, issued another order sanctioning Rs 18 crore as compensation under various token numbers. The displaced families opposed the reduced amount and made representations seeking cancellation of the Rs 18 crore sanction and release of the originally sanctioned Rs 58 crore, along with interest from the date of acquisition.
The petitioners also stated that they approached the Chief Minister’s Office through the Prajavani grievance platform on August 29, 2024, seeking payment of compensation as per the earlier Government Order. The representation was later forwarded by the CMO to the Jagtial district collector for necessary action.
After hearing the submissions, the High Court noted the delay in payment of compensation to the displaced families and directed the state government to file its counter-affidavit within two weeks.
