Following the failure to release the court-ordered compensation for land acquisition to two families even after a delay of nearly seven years, distraint proceedings were initiated to attach 18 cars of revenue and Public Works Department officials, including that of Madurai Collector, here on Monday.
However, following assurance by officials to court authorities, who came for seizing the vehicles, that the amount will be settled by January 28, the distraint proceedings were temporarily dropped.
T. Kannan, one of the land owners from Perungudi, said that around 30 cents of land was acquired from his family by the revenue administration and handed over to PWD in 2004 for the work of Nilaiyur Extension Channel. Similarly, around 70 cents of land was acquired from A. Adaikann of Perungudi for the same purpose.
According to Mr. Kannan, the two families were paid a paltry compensation of ₹ 246 per cent, contesting which the families approached the court.
M. Baskaran, advocate for both the families, said that, following years of litigation, the III Additional Sub Court in Madurai awarded a compensation of ₹ 18 per square feet for the acquired land in July 2011. “The officials did not pay the amount for seven years even after filing a separate Execution Petition at the court,” he said.
Stating that order to initiate distraint proceedings was obtained from the court in December 2017, he said that the compensation amount to be paid to the families with interest has accumulated to ₹9.19 lakh for Mr. Kannan’s family and ₹21.42 lakh for Mr. Adaikann’s family when the distraint order was issued.
Other vehicles ordered to be attached included that of District Revenue Officer and Revenue Divisional Officer (Madurai).
“We were dependent on that agricultural land when they acquired it. It is unfortunate that we are not getting what is our due despite a wait of nearly 13 years and spending a lot of money on litigation,” said Mr. Kannan.
The Collectorate premises witnessed drama in the morning as court officials accompanied by the litigants and their advocates came to seize Collector’s car parked on the portico.
Senior revenue officials rushed and convinced the court authorities not to go ahead with the proceedings by buying time till January 28, 2017.
