Hyderabad HC Sets Aside Order on Somasila Project.

In a judgment which will have deterring effect on the dealings pertaining to land acquisition proceedings leading to huge enhancement and payment of compensation in both AP and Telangana, a division bench of the Hyderabad High Court recently has set aside the order passed in the year 2009 enhancing the compensation (about Rs. 30 crore) payable to non-existing structures under the Somasila project.

The bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice S V Bhatt remanded the case of compensation back to Kadapa court for proper determination of payments to be made to farmers of Somasila project.

The bench was allowing appeals filed on behalf of the government and a public interest petition alleging huge scam involving the local revenue officers and the persons connected with the courts at district level while dealing with cases filed seeking enhancement of compensation for lands acquired for the project. As for the case details, lands in Madhavaram village of Vontimitta mandal in Kadapa district were acquired for Somasila project. While the process of determination of money payable for the farmers was in progress there were claims that 89 structures were left out of the process.

The initial claim for these non-existing structures was Rs. 45 lakh and later it went upto Rs One crore. By the time the additional district judge passed the final order the compensation shot up to nearly Rs 30 crore. Several contempt cases were filed to hasten the process.

After perusing the material on record and orders passed in writ petitions of the farmers, the bench took into consideration the report of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) and orders passed in 29 other cases.

The bench traced the process which was termed as 'scam' and remanded the case of compensation to the Kadapa trial court, and directed for initiation and continuation of the proceedings.

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS