Responding to the agitation by the farmers seeking compensation for lands being lost under high tension (HT) power lines, Medak District Collector Bharati Hollikeri issued orders setting out guidelines for valuation of lands.
The order was issued on the same day — August 2nd, 2017 — the day farmers met Joint Collector Suresh Babu and submitted a memorandum complaining that they were not being paid adequate compensation.
“The farmers of the district whose lands are affected with the erection of 400 kV High Tension Lines and Towers have represented that in most of the cases the electricity officials are not paying compensation and in some of the cases they are paying less compensation against to their eligibility and requested for payment of the same as per rules in force. Further, various public representatives have also made certain representations,” the Collector noted in the order.
Precedents
The orders were similar to the orders issued by collectors of Ranga Reddy and Sangareddy districts.
However, the order did not mention about the 765 kV HT transmission line laid by Power Grid Corporation Limited (PGCL) which had already completed laying line and commissioned the power supply.
Also there was no mention of the 765 kV line in the orders issued by collectors of Ranga Reddy and Sangareddy districts.
Categorisation
Compensation for land facing highways (up to 0.5. k.m.) /nearer to the housing layouts/ industrial areas/ commercially developed areas under Category I (A,B and C type towers) for the area of damage up to 350 square yards should be ₹3.5 lakh per tower/ and under Category II ( D type tower) area of damage above 350 square yards ₹4.5 lakh per tower.
For the land through which more than one transmission line is passing the payment should be ₹ 1,000 per square yard, the Collector’s order noted.
For the interior lands the compensation should be ₹2.45 lakh per tower under Category I and ₹3.15 lakh per tower under Category II.
The 400 kV HT transmission line is being laid by Maheswaram Transmission Limited (MTL) which was addressed by the Collector.