The district administration has taken steps to conduct a Social Impact Assessment study prior to acquisition of lands for the proposed link road south of Puducherry-Villupuram railway line for the Arunparthapuram road bridge as mandated under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
The process had begun and the administration had constituted a four-member committee to conduct the study.
They include Anbu Senthil, Medical Officer (in charge), Mettupalayam Primary Health Centre; Rajini, Assistant Professor of Home Science, Bharathidasan Government College for Women; T. Ramakrishnan, retired Statistical Inspector; and Alice Thomas, Udhavi Karangal Samooga Thodar Kalvi Iyakkam for Boys. “The committee will study the requirement of land for the road bridge whether the proposed land acquisition serves public purpose, its impact on local residents and rehabilitation package for those who will have to be relocated. The report will be examined by an expert panel of the government and will be displayed at taluk and panchayat offices, based on which the government will take a decision,” said District Collector E. Vallavan.
Consultations to be held
The committee would hold consultations with stakeholders, make a detailed assessment and analysis of all relevant land records and data.
The SIA would determine the area of impact under the proposed project, including both land to be acquired and area that will be affected by environmental, social or other impacts of the project.
The size of landholdings, ownership patterns, number of houses in Kurumbapet revenue village in Villianur taluk, public and private infrastructure on the land would be determined along with the land price.
The foundation for the bridge in Villianur at an estimated cost of ₹34 crore was launched as a government-railway joint initiative in 2013. “Though the government had taken steps to acquire the land for the project, a few of the landowners aggrieved by the acquisition process, approached the Madras High Court. Consequent to the directions of the Madras High Court, the Land Acquisition Proceedings were initiated as per the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013,” an official said.
