Telangana High Court on Thursday directed the government that families — whose houses would be submerged due to construction of Kondapochamma reservoir in Siddipet — should be evacuated by May 1.
All families losing their houses due to submergence should be provided alternative accommodation in Rehabilitation and Resettlement colonies or other suitable places, the court said. The order was passed by a bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A. Abhishek Reddy after hearing writ petitions filed by some families belonging to Mamidyala and Bahilampur villages of Mulugu mandal in Siddipet district. They sought compensation under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act.
Majority of the people losing houses and lands due to construction of Kondapochamma reservoir (as part of Kaleshwaram project) accepted the compensation offered by the government. Some, however, moved the HC stating that the relief was not commensurate with the provisions of the Act.
Recently, they filed an interim application seeking a direction to the government not to release water into the reservoir as this would inundate their houses.
They contended that their petitions on the compensation matter were still being heard by the HC.
After hearing contentions of the petitioners’ lawyer and Advocate General B.S. Prasad, the bench said that release of water cannot be prevented as it would affect interests of larger section of people. However, the affected persons should secure the monetary compensation, house sites and other benefits without any hindrance. The cheques relating to compensation and documents of house site allotments should be handed over to the petitioners’ lawyer. If the petitioners still have any objections over the compensation, they can continue the legal battle, the bench said.
Referring to the harvest in the crop fields, the HC said the oustees can take whatever amount of the harvest they need. For the leftover harvest, the government should pay money to the land owners as per the minimum support price, the bench said.
On the issue of members of families who attained the age of 18 years and unmarried, the petitioners claimed that such persons should also be given full compensation as per the Act. However, the government was offering them only half the compensation assured in the Act, they contended. The bench posted this matter to Monday for adjudication.