Almost eight years after tribals in Jawhar tehsil, which was then in Thane district, lost their land to the Lendi Irrigation project, the government has accepted that official land acquisition process was not followed.
After a relentless struggle through all these years, paper work for official land acquisition will be completed in 2016 under new the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, as land has already been used to construct dam. The dam is now part of newly formed Palghar district.
“The official procedure was not completed while acquiring the land,” said Abhijit Bangar, collector, Palghar.
“In the mean time, notices issued to acquire the land lapsed, but the construction of dam went on. Even though the dam has been constructed, no official acquisition has taken place. I have asked for all files and the official process of land acquisition will be completed as per the new act.” A meeting regarding the issue will be held in January 2016.
Mr Bangar said he has sought an explanation from the officers on how work on the dam began without officially acquiring land from tribals. Almost 75% of the work is over, however it is currently halted.
The collector, however, did not confirm whether the tribals will be given compensation with retrospective effect since their land was acquired way back in 2007.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis too has agreed to conduct an inquiry in to the irregularities in awarding compensation to tribals.
On Tuesday, over 75 tribals from Bhotadpada in Jawhar reached Mumbai, covering the 180-km distance on foot in four days to demand a compensation package with retrospective effect and action against government officers who snatched away their land and livelihood.
“Our only source of living was agriculture. Once they took away our land, we were displaced, and left our village in search of money,” said Vitthal Dambale from Bhotadpada.
The tribals, who once grew paddy in this village, moved to Bhiwandi and Kalyan where they worked as labourers.
“We go to these cities for two months, earn some money and go back. Between this, we continue the agitation,” said Raju Dambale, another villager.
It was the frustration of eight years that forced the tribals to walk all the way from the village to Mumbai and demand a meeting with Chief Minister.
“He heard us and agreed to take action,” said Rajani Pandhare, president, Lendi Dharan Sangharsh Samiti.
Ms Pandhare said that the contractors have been looting the natural wealth of soil, crops, trees from the land, which originally belonged to the tribals, under the disguise of dam construction. “Will that also be compensated?” she asked.
Officials now agree that procedure was not followed in acquiring the land tilled by villagers
