HC stays land acquisition

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, Sept 27 : The AP High Court has stayed land acquisition in Maheswaram mandal of Ranga Reddy district for the proposed township by Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority.
Ms Bandari Andalu, a resident of Srinagar village in the mandal challenged the land acquisition. The HMDA had a joint venture with Ramky Estates and Farms Pvt Ltd to develop a township at cost of Rs 2,500 crore in 1,000 acres.
The HMDA took up land acquisition in 220 acres in Maheswaram mandal for the township. In the process, the HMDA and Revenue Authorities passed an consent award after negotiations with local farmers and land holders.
They issued two cheques of different denominations, totalling Rs 3.78 crore to Ms Andalu towards compensation for 5 acres which she had in Srinagar village.
According to the petitioner, the authorities issued cheques belonging to a private bank and later they stopped the payment.
The petitioner told the court that she came to know that the authorities have stopped the payment based on an anonymous complaint that she was not in possession of the land.
Dealing with the petition, Justice L Narasimha Reddy expressed his surprise over issuing a cheque belonging to a private bank to the petitioner.
The judge asked "how can you issue a private cheque. As per the law the land acquisition officer has to made payment to the land holders through the government cheques. Why did you opted the method of private payment , the court is not able to understand?".
Justice Narasimha Reddy , further said " Why is the HMDA acquiring hundreds of acres ? Is the land used for the purpose for which it was acquired".