The Kerala High Court has upheld the state government’s decision to acquire estate lands for building a township to rehabilitate survivors of the Chooralmala landslide in Wayanad. The court dismissed petitions from estate owners challenging the acquisition, offering relief to the government and hope to the disaster victims awaiting resettlement.
The court allowed the government to proceed with acquiring the identified estate lands under the Land Acquisition Act, provided fair compensation is paid to the landowners. It directed the estate owners to cooperate in surveying and marking the land while clarifying that disputes over compensation could be resolved legally. If a civil court later determines the land belongs to the government, the estate owners must return any compensation received, for which they must submit an affidavit beforehand.
Despite resistance from petitioners Harrison Malayalam Limited and Elstone, the court authorized the government to commence land surveys immediately. While the ruling has boosted prospects for the rehabilitation project, the government’s draft list of beneficiaries for the first phase has faced criticism from disaster victims, prompting calls for a more transparent and inclusive process.
Post Your Comments