Telangana
,
Gudatipalli village
,
Karimnagar
Published :
Oct 2016
|
Updated :
Farmers Forced to Accept Low Compensation for Gauravelli Reservoir in Telangana
Reported by
Seethalakshmi
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Edited by
Anupa Kujur
Households affected
People affected
2015
Year started
389
Land area affected
Households affected
People Affected
2015
Year started
389
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Irrigation Dam
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Irrigation Dam
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
1
Summary

The Gouravelli reservoir, which was proposed under the Jalayagnam project in 2007, is being built in Husnabad mandal in Karimnagar district. Initially proposed at a capacity of 1.4 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) by late Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy, the capacity of the reservoir has been increased to 8.23 tmcft by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the current ruling party. Now, the government requires an additional 1,967.18 acres of land, of which 960 acres are private land, in addition to that already acquired for the old plan. While land acquisition is yet to be complete, the compensation process has not been up to speed with it. In fact, the compensation process for the land acquired for the old plan is still far from complete. The main contention of the affected community is twofold. First, the government has substantially delayed the compensation process and has left the affected farmers high and dry. Second, the compensation prices being offered are much below the market price. On this account, they demand that either the compensation package should be increased to INR 1517 lakh per acre or the affected households should be given houses within a two kilometre radius of Husnabad with the remaining amount paid as per prevailing market rates. The farmers have repeatedly voiced their grievance against the lack of compensation. In August 2015, unhappy with the rehabilitation and resettlement package, they tried to approach the chief minister on his visit to Gudatipalli village but could not meet him. In December 2017, villagers were 536 days into observing a relay fast demanding implementation and adherence to the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, afraid of losing land for a second time. In the same month, a _gram sabha _(Village Assembly) was held, but it was concluded abruptly without sufficiently involving the villagers. The construction work was launched in January 2018 by Irrigation Minister Harish Rao and was followed by the Telangana high court ordering the state government in June 2018 to not displace families before providing them with resettlement and rehabilitation packages. But the order was not followed. In February 2020, the farmers protested again, blocking JCBs and lorries working on site and demanding to be compensated at least before the project was completed. In August 2020, farmers received notices from the government stating that they have to accept INR 8 lakh as compensation, which is less than half the market price. This forced them to file a writ petition before the high court demanding justice.

2
Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for more compensation than promised

Demand for rehabilitation

Demand for promised compensation

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Rural

Type of Land

Both

Non-Forest (Grazing Land), Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Project underway despite protests

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Agricultural land

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

1200

Type of investment:

Investment Expected

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

4
Additional Information

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Irrigation & CAD Department, Revenue Department

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

No

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Telangana Rashtra Samithi

5
Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Legal Supporting Documents

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Author
Reported by
Seethalakshmi
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Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for more compensation than promised

Demand for rehabilitation

Demand for promised compensation

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Status of Project

Project underway despite protests

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Agricultural land

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

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