Establishment of the much-awaited 1,600 MW Uppur Thermal Power Plant has entered the crucial phase with the district administration commencing land acquisition process and the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) depositing the compensation amount with the government.
The Rs. 9,600-crore project is coming up on about 1,000 acres in Tiruvadanai taluk, and the district administration has started the process of acquiring 767.83 acres of patta lands in Valamavur, Tirupalaikudi and Uppur and alienating 229.59 acres of government poromboke lands. After G. Muthiah, Additional Personal Assistant (Lands) to the Collector, issued notices to more than 400 landowners that their lands were required for industrial purpose and asked them to file their objections, if any, the landowners visited his office here on Wednesday and submitted their objections.
The Energy Department of the State government had notified that it proposed to acquire 563.89 acres of land in Uppur, 167.89 acres in Valamavur and 36.05 acres in Tirupalaikudi Tangedco for setting up the plant.
Farmers from the three villagers objected to land acquisition stating that their livelihoods depended on their lands. If the government went ahead with acquiring lands, they should be given adequate compensation. Some of the landowners sought employment and alternative lands.
After perusing the objections and statements, the district administration would decide on the quantum of compensation and start land acquisition, probably in four months’ time, Mr. Muthiah said.
Ruling out distribution of alternative lands, he said that the government would pay compensation as per the Centre’s Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The State government has passed a Government Order, accepting the compensation part in the Act, he said.
Tangedco had deposited an initial amount of Rs. 5.22 crore with the government for the purpose of distributing compensation, V. Chinniah, Executive Engineer (Civil), Uppur Thermal Power Project, said.
