Dosanjh villagers seek compensation on revised rates

IN OCT 2016, THE THEN SDM SURINDER KAUR RECOMMENDED REVISION OF RATES FROM ₹1.17CR TO ₹2.13CR, CITING A CLERICAL ERROR

MOGA: In protest against the administration for not implementing the recommended hike in rate for agriculture land acquired from Dosanjh village for National Highway-71, villagers have demanded compensation as per the amended rate.

The National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) had acquired land from 10 villages in Moga November 11, 2015 for the Barnala-Jalandhar four-lane project on the NH-71.

Around 2.18 hectares land was acquired.

Different compensation rates for land with separate categories were earmarked under the National Highways Act.

The rate for the agriculture land acquired from Dosanjh village was earmarked at ₹1.17 crore/hectare as per the basic market rate.

In a corrigendum on October 06, 2016 (procured by the HT), the then sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Surinder Kaur recommended revision of rates from ₹1.17cr to ₹2.13cr, citing a clerical error, using powers under the Section 33 (correction to awards by collector) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act.

Section 33 of RFCTLARR Act states, “The collector may at any time, but not later than six months from the date of award or where he has been required under the provisions of this act to make a reference to the authority under Section 64, before the making of such reference, by order, correct any clerical or arithmetical mistakes in either of the awards or errors raises therein either on his own motion or on the application of a person interested or local authority.”

However, a senior official has said the recommendations made in the corrigendum can’t be implemented.

“The corrigendum was written out of the way. Firstly the recommendations were made after 13 months, which was supposed to done within six months. And this kind of change in figures is not considered as clerical mistakes.”

Sources in the department say the move was initiated under the political pressure allegedly to favour the villagers. “This would have resulted in loss of crores to the government exchequer,” they added.

SDM Moga Charandeep Singh said he has raised the matter with the NHAI representative and asked them to clarify on the rate of compensation.

“We are always willing to pay the compensation (on original awarded price), but beneficiaries are not coming forward as they are demanding compensation on revised rates,” he said.