Hyderabad High Court on Monday differed with the Andhra Pradesh government's contention that the State was supposed to rehabilitate only such workers, whose primary source of living was related to farming, in land acquisition cases.
A Division Bench of the HC comprising acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice K. Vijaya Lakshmi said it would prefer a microscopic check of each of the 600 land acquisitions made by A.P. State and the rehabilitation and resettlement work initiated by the government. The Bench made this observation while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by A.P. Vyavasaya Karmikula Sangham a few months ago, stating that the State had failed to comply with the provisions of Land Acquisition Act-2013.
Ascertain facts
Continuing his arguments in the case, A.P. Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas submitted to the Bench that no agricultural labourers were found in 448 land acquisitions of the 600 taken up by the State. In the absence of agricultural labourers, nil awards were passed with regard to rehabilitation in such villages, he maintained.
Expressing doubts over these claims, the Bench sought to know what the AG meant by ‘primary source of living’ and if any survey was conducted to ascertain facts. Explaining the stand of the State, the AG observed the government had considered seasonal workers - who work in villages for a duration and migrate to other places during the remaining time of the year - were not eligible for rehabilitation in land acquisition cases.
“Agriculture itself is seasonal. Seasonal workers are vulnerable sections of the society whose voice is not heard,” the Bench remarked. Not convinced with the replies of the AG, the Bench said it would summon the head of the department in the matter if the AG could not present the facts.
To verify
The Bench made it clear that it would get the statistics related to rehabilitation presented by the AG verified. The hearing was posted to Wednesday.
