‘Pay Compensation for Our Land Lost due to National Highway-169 Widening Work or Face Protest ‘- Bhoomalikara Horata Samiti Warns National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
Mangaluru: Briefing the media persons during a press meet held at Mangaluru Press Club, Bhoomalikara Horata Samiti President Mariamma Thomas said, ” Bhoomalikara Horata Samiti NH-169 will stage a protest near the office of the project director of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Tuesday, 7 March against the delay in disbursing compensation to those who have lost land, due to the national highway being made four lanes. The landowners are demanding that the NHAI disburse compensation for the land acquired for the NH-169 widening, as per the high court’s direction. It should be noted that the High Court has already passed a verdict in favour of those who lost land from three villages”.
She further said “Those who lost land from Sanoor, Padumarnad and Puttige villages should be given compensation as per the high court’s directions. The NHAI had made a final notification to acquire land in 18 villages in Padavu village of Mangaluru taluk, and Sanoor and Kanthavara villages in Karkala of Udupi district in 2020. Accordingly, the special land acquisition officer (SLAO) submitted a rate of compensation, as per the market value. However, the compensation was reduced later, and the same was questioned by the landowners of three villages in the high court”.
” The court has upheld the previous compensation, but the NHAI has approached the district administrations for arbitration. The NHAI officials are following delay tactics, by not releasing compensation. By delaying the work, officials are ensuring that the highway project is not implemented effectively. People’s representatives had promised that compensation equal to four times the actual value, will be given to those who lost land in villages. Similarly, they also had promised that it will be two times the actual value of the land in cities. However, they have failed to fulfil their promises, and a representative of the Samiti will also meet the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada after the protest”.
