LET THE FARMERS INDIVIDUALLY APPROACH COURT CHALLENGING THE SAMRUDDHI CORRIDOR: HC

Observing that farmers have not approached it ‘individually’, the Bombay High Court on Thursday disposed of a batch of petitions challenging the chief minister’s dream project – Samruddhi Corridor. The farmers through their respective Gram Panchayats had approached the HC seeking directions to the government to drop proposal of acquiring their lands for the project.

A division bench of Justices Kamalkishor Tated and BP Colabawalla said, “The Gram Panchayats cannot file such petitions as the lands in question are owned by the farmers individually. Thus, we cannot proceed on this footing.”

The bench accordingly asked advocate Rameshwar Gite, appearing for the farmers, to take instructions if the farmers are ready to approach court individually.

The farmers through their Gram Panchayats had dragged CM Devendra Fadnavis and his government to the court, claiming that the project will deprive them of their land, livelihood and shelter. The farmers have claimed that this project is contrary to the provisions of ‘Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency’ in the Land Acquisition (Rehabilitation, and Resettlement) Act 2013. The farmers had also sought directions to the government to consider using the existing Ghoti- Sinnar Road for the development of Nagpur – Mumbai Super Communication Express Way, as it is parallel to the project.

In their petition, the farmers stated, “The development of the Super Expressway in the area where the land of farmers is situated will bring substantial damages in the existing land use pattern. This is because the land acquired for the purpose is predominantly agricultural that too about 84 per cent length of the proposed expressway passes through cultivated land or agricultural land.”

The project requires the government to acquire lands of farmers from nearly 12 districts and 300 villages.

The government, on the other hand, maintained that the project will improve the condition of farmers in the state. The government had also claimed that the project will connect Nagpur and Mumbai in a much better manner to boost the rural economy.