Rane gets better deal than hapless farmers
In changing times, even a former chief minister must cede ground for development. During road widening of the Mumbai-Goa highway at Karnala, the authorities demolished the compound wall of a farmhouse belonging to the former chief minister. This happened on Nilesh Farm, which belongs to Narayan Rane’s wife, Neelam. Approximately 21 gunthas (nearly half an acre) of Rane’s land has been given for the road-widening project. This project is to make the existing MumbaiGoa highway, a four-lane highway. Earlier, residents of Tara village, Panvel taluka, Raigad district, had opposed double-talk of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government. “They promised us good compensation but when the time came to give up our land, they changed their tune,” alleged a resident.
The project-affected people had protested. In fact, homes of villagers were razed immediately, unlike Rane’s farmhouse, where the compound wall and very little land has been acquired for the same project. A villager said, “We have been given no time and less compensation, and they demolished our homes immediately. Whereas the one who owns more land got more relief and reportedly, also, higher compensation.”
The villagers’ accusations are not misplaced. Their homes were razed two years ago, when the road-widening project began. Narendra Ghodinde, who owns 1400 square metres plus a house and small shop near the road said, “We used to earn enough to run our family as our shop was close to the road. But I received only Rs 1.65 lakh.” Similarly, another villager, Samadhan Patil, said, “I received a notice in 2009 where they mentioned Rs 3 lakh 43 thousand, but the amount I have received now is far less than what was mentioned in 2009.”
Sources say that after much delay, Rane’s compound, 21 gunthas, a tin shed and trees were given up, for which he is said to have allegedly received up to Rs 1.26 crore in compensation.
A Raigad collectorate official said, "The government has already paid compensation of Rs 83 lakh and Rs 43 lakh. We began demolishing the two compound walls on Monday morning." An official added that local residents had earlier complained about authorities not acquiring Rane's land despite compensation being paid for it, which in turn was delaying the road work.