For not compensating farmers, property of CIDCO attached

REPEATED NOTICES TO CIDCO FOR COMPENSATION WENT UNNOTICED, PROMPTING THE FARMER TO SEEK A WARRANT FOR PROPERTY ATTACHMENT IN JAN 2022.

NAVI MUMBAI: Acting on the orders issued by the Senior Division, Alibag Court, the property of CIDCO comprising 2,000 computers, 2,000 chairs, 3,000 tables and 500 fans was attached on Friday.

The Joint Civil Judge, Vikram Karadkar, Alibag, had ordered on January 3, 2022 to attach CIDCO property for failing to pay the increased compensation for the land it had acquired from farmers.

The matter dates back to November 1986 wherein CIDCO had acquired land belonging to farmer Daya Maya Mundkar and others. The rate at which the land was acquired was contested for a revised compensation structure.

“The alleged delay on the part of CIDCO to pay the rightful dues as instructed by the court has led to this embarrassing situation wherein we were compelled to get their property attached. Since 2018, we have been consistently pursuing with CIDCO to make the payments as per the revised compensation rate but there was no action whatsoever,” said advocate Nutan Patil, representing the farmers.

An admeasuring approx. 4.5 acre situated Vadhghar village, Panvel taluka, was acquired by CIDCO for development purposes. The compensation rate of ₹4 per sqm was challenged by the farmers in Alibag district court. “The revised rate for compensation was set by the court at ₹1,725 per sqm and an order to this regard was issued in January 2018. We further filed an execution petition in February 2018 to recover the total compensation including interest amounting to ₹26.11Cr,” informed Patil.

Repeated notices were sent asking CIDCO to release the compensation. CIDCO, failing to take cognisance, prompted the farmer to seek a warrant for property attachment in January 2022.

In a statement issued by CIDCO to mediapersons, it said, “Regarding this matter, a meeting was already conducted by vice-chairman & managing director of CIDCO 20 days back and appropriate directives were given to the concerned officers. We will investigate today’s entire incident and appropriate action will be taken as per law.”