A division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Friday modified the order of a single-judge over compensation to be paid to landless agricultural labourers in Mallannasagar reservoir project.
The single-judge had passed an order staying dispossession of labourers in Etigadda Kistapur and other villages coming under the Mallannasagar project. Issuing notices to the government, the judge observed that the petitioners (who claim to be landless agricultural labourers) should be paid compensation and provided resettlement and rehabilitation as per the new Land Acquisition Act-2013.
The government moved an appeal before the division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice J. Uma Devi seeking modification of the order. Additional Advocate-General J. Ramachandra Rao on Friday appealed to the bench to confine the single-judge order to Etigadda Kistapur. Its extension to ‘other villages’ was likely to stall the ongoing project work, he submitted.
The bench modified the order, stating that the stay order was confined to Etigadda Kistapur village and not ‘other’ villages. This allows the Government to continue ongoing project works in other villages. However, the bench made it clear that even the villagers of Etigadda Kistapur and other affected persons of the village had to be paid compensation.
The division bench earlier in cases relating to dispossession of people due to construction of irrigation projects in Andhra Pradesh State passed orders that not only land owners but even people like artisans, daily wage earners depending upon farming in the villages and agricultural labourers should be given compensation.