Explain why land relief not paid: HC

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 16

Taking cognisance of non-payment of assessed compensation in land acquisition cases that is evident from the filing of a “large number of writ petitions”, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has called for an explanation from Haryana Chief Secretary.

Told to submit report

The Chief Secretary, Haryana, is requested to inquire into the matter and submit a report explaining the reasons why the landowners, who stand deprived of their land, have not been paid the compensation amount at the time of announcement of the award by the Land Acquisition Collector. Justice Anil Kshetarpal

Justice Anil Kshetarpal has directed him to explain to the court the reasons why owners deprived of their land were not paid compensation at the time of award announcement by the Land Acquisition Collector.

The court has also set a month’s deadline for the Chief Secretary to submit a status report in the matter. The direction came after Justice Kshetarpal made it clear that the provision authorising the acquiring authority to withhold the payment was absent in the both the Acts on land acquisition.

The matter was brought to the court’s notice after Gateway Rail Freight Limited filed a petition to direct the state of Haryana and other respondents to release compensation.

Justice Kshetarpal was told that the amount assessed by the Land Acquisition Collector had not been paid.

He asserted the Land Acquisition Collector was required to tender the compensation amount at the time of award announcement as per the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, and the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.