6 decades on, tea seller’s family fights to get land back
Vaibhav Ganjapure | TNN | Mar 1, 2019, 04:58 IST
Nagpur: A tea stall on Plot No 27 in MIDC Industrial Estate in Hingna, operated by Kolhe family, is popular in the area. This poor family was once landlords having a massive area of 27.36 hectares (67.60 acres) at Digdoh in Hingna in the form of farmland, where they currently operate a tea stall, their only source of income. Their fate changed in 1960s when the Maharashtra government believed to have forcibly acquired their land for MIDC in lieu of a meagre compensation.
Nearly six decades later, the land is still unutilized and Gulab Kolhe’s son Ghanshayam looks after the tea stall started by his late father. As per current estimates of MIDC, the value of entire plot is Rs6.10 crore approximately.
“There were ten members in our family who were rendered jobless after our land was forcibly acquired. We were forced to open a tea stall as my father lacked expertise and experience of any other profession than farming,” says 60-year-old Ghanshayam.
MIDC’s regional manager JB Sangitrao told TOI that he would talk to their lawyers as he didn’t have any idea about current status of the case, through he was aware of it.
About a decade back, when his land near Mahindra plant wasn’t utilized, Kolhe had applied to MIDC authorities to return the land. However, his application was neither rejected nor granted and he was made to run from pillar to post by the authorities.
Luck smiled on 97-year-old Kolhe after he was invited for a video conferencing of project affected persons (PAPs) with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on May 11, 2015.
After listening to his grievances, the CM had directed MIDC authorities to complete formalities and return him his land. However, he couldn’t produce all documents regarding his claim on the land and many records were also lost by the MIDC office. The MIDC finally calculated his land to 2,773sqm at Plot No 27, which he agreed as he had no other alternative to fight back due to abject poverty.
Kolhe received a shocker after MIDC told him to pay Rs22,000/ sqmt for getting the land back on “concessional rates” terming it as a commercial plot, which comes to around Rs6.10 crore. He fell ill and expired after a few days due to heart stroke.
His son Ghanshyam then took up his fight along with his mother Anjana and pursued the matter with MIDC authorities. They were helped by a lawyer Mukund Nimkhedkar without charging a penny.
Ghanshayam requested the MIDC officials to reduce the cost, as it was impossible for a tea seller to gather such a big amount in his entire life. “I am ready to pay some price but can’t pay such a big amount. I don’t have money to file the case in courts,” he says.
Nimkhedkar says the Supreme Court had ruled in several cases if the acquired land wasn’t utilized, it should be returned to the owner. The cases including M Santhaiyan versus State of Tamil Nadu on February 19, 2014, and Northern India Glass Industries versus Jaswant Singh and others of India 2002. “They’re not even listening to CM’s directives.”
Like his father, Ghanshayam has also submitted many applications with the MIDC authorities, but no decision was taken even after clear directives from the CM. “I don’t think that I will ever get to see our land back,” he says.
What’s the case
Gulab Kolhe’s family jointly owned 27.36 hectare farmland in Hingna
It was forcibly acquired by MIDC for setting up industries area
After it was unutilized for five decades, Kolhe demanded its return
He filed many applications as a PAP, but all pleas fell on deaf ears
He got chance to interact with CM Fadnavis through video conferencing
After listening to his grievances, CM ordered to return his unutilized land
MIDC finalized 2,773 sq mt out of 27.36 hectares for returning to him
They asked him to pay Rs22,000/sq mtrs which comes to Rs6.10 crore
Unable to pay the amount, Kolhe fell ill and died due to cardiac arrest
His son Ghanshayam & mother Anjana, now fighting his battle for land
Both made applications to reduce exorbitant rate for repurchasing land
All their pleas fell on deaf ears & they are still waiting for their original land
Nearly six decades later, the land is still unutilized and Gulab Kolhe’s son Ghanshayam looks after the tea stall started by his late father. As per current estimates of MIDC, the value of entire plot is Rs6.10 crore approximately.
“There were ten members in our family who were rendered jobless after our land was forcibly acquired. We were forced to open a tea stall as my father lacked expertise and experience of any other profession than farming,” says 60-year-old Ghanshayam.
MIDC’s regional manager JB Sangitrao told TOI that he would talk to their lawyers as he didn’t have any idea about current status of the case, through he was aware of it.
About a decade back, when his land near Mahindra plant wasn’t utilized, Kolhe had applied to MIDC authorities to return the land. However, his application was neither rejected nor granted and he was made to run from pillar to post by the authorities.
Luck smiled on 97-year-old Kolhe after he was invited for a video conferencing of project affected persons (PAPs) with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on May 11, 2015.
After listening to his grievances, the CM had directed MIDC authorities to complete formalities and return him his land. However, he couldn’t produce all documents regarding his claim on the land and many records were also lost by the MIDC office. The MIDC finally calculated his land to 2,773sqm at Plot No 27, which he agreed as he had no other alternative to fight back due to abject poverty.
Kolhe received a shocker after MIDC told him to pay Rs22,000/ sqmt for getting the land back on “concessional rates” terming it as a commercial plot, which comes to around Rs6.10 crore. He fell ill and expired after a few days due to heart stroke.
His son Ghanshyam then took up his fight along with his mother Anjana and pursued the matter with MIDC authorities. They were helped by a lawyer Mukund Nimkhedkar without charging a penny.
Ghanshayam requested the MIDC officials to reduce the cost, as it was impossible for a tea seller to gather such a big amount in his entire life. “I am ready to pay some price but can’t pay such a big amount. I don’t have money to file the case in courts,” he says.
Nimkhedkar says the Supreme Court had ruled in several cases if the acquired land wasn’t utilized, it should be returned to the owner. The cases including M Santhaiyan versus State of Tamil Nadu on February 19, 2014, and Northern India Glass Industries versus Jaswant Singh and others of India 2002. “They’re not even listening to CM’s directives.”
Like his father, Ghanshayam has also submitted many applications with the MIDC authorities, but no decision was taken even after clear directives from the CM. “I don’t think that I will ever get to see our land back,” he says.
What’s the case
Gulab Kolhe’s family jointly owned 27.36 hectare farmland in Hingna
It was forcibly acquired by MIDC for setting up industries area
After it was unutilized for five decades, Kolhe demanded its return
He filed many applications as a PAP, but all pleas fell on deaf ears
He got chance to interact with CM Fadnavis through video conferencing
After listening to his grievances, CM ordered to return his unutilized land
MIDC finalized 2,773 sq mt out of 27.36 hectares for returning to him
They asked him to pay Rs22,000/sq mtrs which comes to Rs6.10 crore
Unable to pay the amount, Kolhe fell ill and died due to cardiac arrest
His son Ghanshayam & mother Anjana, now fighting his battle for land
Both made applications to reduce exorbitant rate for repurchasing land
All their pleas fell on deaf ears & they are still waiting for their original land
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