HC restrains authorities from evicting villagers for Madurai airport expansion

The court ordered interim injunction while hearing a petition seeking alternative lands and houses for the villagers

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered an interim injunction restraining authorities from forcibly evicting the residents of Chinna Udaippu near Madurai who have been protesting against land acquisition process for Madurai airport expansion.

Justice N. Mala ordered the interim injunction while hearing the petition filed by P. Malairajan of Chinna Udaippu. The petitioner said there were 350 families belonging to the Scheduled Castes residing in the village. More than 700 hectares of agricultural lands and properties belonging to the villagers had been acquired for the construction of Madurai airport.

He said in 2009 a notification was issued regarding the land acquisition for the expansion of the airport. Patta lands of the people were to be acquired. In 2013, notifications were issued for fixing the compensation for the lands acquired from the people. Similar notifications were issued in 2017 and 2018 and the process went on till 2020.

The process was nearly complete. However, the compensation amount was yet to be dispersed to at least 30 people whose lands had been acquired. In the land acquisition process the authorities had never initiated any proper plan or scheme for resettlement and rehabilitation. The compensation amount was meagre when compared to the market value of the properties, he said.

The authorities were trying to evict them forcibly. They had not even appointed a rehabilitation authority as required under The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act and Rules. Hence, the entire land acquisition process was illegal and arbitrary, the petitioner said.

The residents had made detailed representations to the authorities seeking alternative lands, construction of new houses and a government job to one member of every household as promised. But, the authorities had failed to provide rehabilitation and resettlement to the residents, he said. The court posted the matter for hearing to December 12.

Published - November 20, 2024 10:38 pm IST