Samiti demands fair compensation

The Samyukta Nagarika Hitarakshana Samiti has urged the deputy commissioner to pay compensation to the land owners of Permude, Kuttetturu and nearby villages as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (also Land Acquisition Act, 2013).

Addressing mediapersons here, on Wednesday, Samiti president Ronald Fernandes said that the land owners of Permude, Kuttetturu, Tenkaekkaru and surrounding villages had received a raw deal from the district administration, which has fixed a meager price for their land to be acquired for the expansion of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL).

During the meetings convened by the district administration on September 29, the Samiti had submitted a memorandum to deputy commissioner requesting him to fix the land price as per the new act, passed in 2013. As per the act, the land owners are entitled to get a price of Rs 1.92 cr (1,92,87,648) per acre which includes the additional compensation at 12% per year and the tariff applicable to the rural area.

Even though the special acquisition officer of KIADB had submitted a report to the DC regarding fixation of Rs 1.45 cr (1,45,90,800) per acre, the written document on price fixation has not been submitted to the land owners so far. However, 70% of land owners had agreed to hand over their lands to the KIADB after the government agency assured of providing compensation as per the law. Also, MRPL had agreed to this condition, he added.

But during the meeting convened on November 5, the deputy commissioner has not considered any of the norms and said that the MRPL had agreed to provide Rs 60 lakh per acre. Condemning the decision, the Samiti members have boycotted the meeting.

Fernandes, further, said that protests will be conducted by the Samiti if less than Rs 1.45 crore is provided as compensation per acre of land. “If the company fails to provide the fair compensation, the land earmarked for the extension of MRPL should be denotified.”

Samyukta Nagarika Hitarakshana Samiti Secretary Deepak Permude, Advisor Dony Suvares, Organising Secretary Sudhakar Shetty and member Sandesh Poojary were present.