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Farmers Oppose Mallannasagar Reservoir in Telangana, Demand Compensation under LARR Act

Reported by

Seethalakshmi

Legal Review by

Edited by

Updated by

Published on

October 5, 2016

May 17, 2022

Edited on

October 5, 2016

State

Telangana

Sector

Infrastructure

People Affected by Conflict

14938

Households Affected by Conflict

Land Area Affected (in Hectares)

8126

ha

Starting Year

2016

Location of Conflict

Thoguta and Kondapaaka tehsils

Medak

Reason or Cause of Conflict

Multipurpose Dam

Land Conflict Summary

The Mallanasagar dam, estimated to cost INR 9,800 crore, is set to store 51 thousand million cubic feet of water and irrigate close to 12 lakh acres of land in Telangana. However, the project will have significant impact on 14 villages, eight of which will be completely submerged. The project, requiring about 20,079 acres of land, has run into land acquisition issues for the compensation package it offers. In July 2017, farmers from Vemulghat village were 400 days into a hunger strike, protesting against the construction of the reservoir. Having started in June 2016 when the project was announced, they were persistent in their demand for the implementation of Right to Fair Compensation in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, which would fetch them market rates as against the low rates the government was offering. Earlier in July 2016, the state had briefly imposed Section 144 on the village until the high court ordered its removal in September 2016. In July 2017, five more villages joined the protest demanding that the government first notify them before acquiring lands and then compensate them suitably. This was because the notification for land acquisition was issued in newspapers with the names of farmers without seeking their consent, and no time and space were given to people for filing their objections and opinions. Besides protests and strikes, villagers had also actively filed petitions and memorandums against the government's moves. In 2016, the village residents challenged Government Order 123, which violated the 2013 Land Acquisition Act, which led to the high court ruling in their favour. In January 2018, the court directed the Telangana government to stall the process of land acquisition in Vemulghat village, the only village yet to agree to give up its land. The court ordered the state to attend to their objections before commencing the process of land acquisition. In February 2021, the houses being built for the residents in the rehabilitation and resettlement colony were opened for them to visit and inspect. The construction is not over yet, but the villagers have been asked to vacate to a temporary facility until the work on the houses is completed. They have, however, decided to wait so as to shift directly to their permanent houses. In March 2021, state officials resolved to address the grievances of the oustees, with works on the reservoir nearing completion. To this end, separate counters have been opened at the tahsildar and RDO offices for affected villagers to submit their grievances regarding rehabilitation.

Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for more compensation than promised

Complaint against procedural violations

Demand for rehabilitation

Refusal to give up land for the project

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Type of Land

Both

Type of Common Land

Forest and Non-Forest

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

9800

Type of investment:

Cost of Project

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Legal Data

Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict

Land Acquisition Laws, Environmental Laws

Legislations/Policies Involved

Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2014
Section 105-A [Provisions of this Act not to apply to the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997]
Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997
Section 3(1) [Power to acquire land for any industrial purpose by publishing a notice in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette]; Section 3(2) [Before publishing notice, call owners to show cause why the land should not be acquired and issue a public notice]; Section 3(3) [Power to pass order under Section 3(1) after hearing the cause]; Section 6 [Right to receive amount]; Section 7 [Determination of amount]; Section 12 [Payment of interest]; Section 21 [Land Acquisition Act not to apply].
Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Rules, 2001
Rule 3 [Issue of show cause notice by the Government]; Rule 10 [Determination of amount by agreement]; Rule 11 [Proceedings of the Collector determining the amount].
Airports Authority of India Act, 1994
Section 19 [Compulsory acquisition of land for the Authority]
  1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  2. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  4. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  5. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  6. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  7. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute

What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?

What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?

Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:

Non-rehabilitation of displaced people

Controversial land acquisition by the government

Violation of free prior informed consent

Non-implementation/violation of LARR Act

Incorrect estimation of compensation

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Pending

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

Name of the adjudicatory body

Name(s) of the Court(s)

High Court for the State of Telangana

Case Number

WP 17222/2018,WP 26421/2017, WP 26421/2017, WP 35059/2017, WP 20027/2018

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

No items found.

Whether criminal law was used against protestors:

Reported Details of the Violation:

Date of Violation

Location of Violation

Additional Information

Nature of Protest

Protests/marches

Hunger strike

Complaints/petitions/letters/memorandums to officials

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Revenue Department, Special Land Acquisition Officer, District Collector, Joint Collector

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Congress Party, Telugu Desam Party, Mallannasagar Mumpu Graamala Porata Samiti, Telangana Rashtra Samithi

Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Resources

Resources Related to Conflict

  • News Articles Related to the Conflict:
  • Documents Related to the Conflict:
  • Links Related to the Conflict:

Images

Image Credit:  

Image Credit:  

Video

The Mallanasagar dam, estimated to cost INR 9,800 crore, is set to store 51 thousand million cubic feet of water and irrigate close to 12 lakh acres of land in Telangana. However, the project will have significant impact on 14 villages, eight of which will be completely submerged. The project, requiring about 20,079 acres of land, has run into land acquisition issues for the compensation package it offers. In July 2017, farmers from Vemulghat village were 400 days into a hunger strike, protesting against the construction of the reservoir. Having started in June 2016 when the project was announced, they were persistent in their demand for the implementation of Right to Fair Compensation in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, which would fetch them market rates as against the low rates the government was offering. Earlier in July 2016, the state had briefly imposed Section 144 on the village until the high court ordered its removal in September 2016. In July 2017, five more villages joined the protest demanding that the government first notify them before acquiring lands and then compensate them suitably. This was because the notification for land acquisition was issued in newspapers with the names of farmers without seeking their consent, and no time and space were given to people for filing their objections and opinions. Besides protests and strikes, villagers had also actively filed petitions and memorandums against the government's moves. In 2016, the village residents challenged Government Order 123, which violated the 2013 Land Acquisition Act, which led to the high court ruling in their favour. In January 2018, the court directed the Telangana government to stall the process of land acquisition in Vemulghat village, the only village yet to agree to give up its land. The court ordered the state to attend to their objections before commencing the process of land acquisition. In February 2021, the houses being built for the residents in the rehabilitation and resettlement colony were opened for them to visit and inspect. The construction is not over yet, but the villagers have been asked to vacate to a temporary facility until the work on the houses is completed. They have, however, decided to wait so as to shift directly to their permanent houses. In March 2021, state officials resolved to address the grievances of the oustees, with works on the reservoir nearing completion. To this end, separate counters have been opened at the tahsildar and RDO offices for affected villagers to submit their grievances regarding rehabilitation.

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for more compensation than promised

Complaint against procedural violations

Demand for rehabilitation

Refusal to give up land for the project

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Type of Land

Both

Type of Common Land

Forest and Non-Forest

Total investment involved (in Crores):

9800

Type of investment:

Cost of Project

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict

Land Acquisition Laws, Environmental Laws

Legislations/Policies Involved

Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2014
Section 105-A [Provisions of this Act not to apply to the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997]
Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997
Section 3(1) [Power to acquire land for any industrial purpose by publishing a notice in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette]; Section 3(2) [Before publishing notice, call owners to show cause why the land should not be acquired and issue a public notice]; Section 3(3) [Power to pass order under Section 3(1) after hearing the cause]; Section 6 [Right to receive amount]; Section 7 [Determination of amount]; Section 12 [Payment of interest]; Section 21 [Land Acquisition Act not to apply].
Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Rules, 2001
Rule 3 [Issue of show cause notice by the Government]; Rule 10 [Determination of amount by agreement]; Rule 11 [Proceedings of the Collector determining the amount].
Airports Authority of India Act, 1994
Section 19 [Compulsory acquisition of land for the Authority]
  1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  2. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  4. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  5. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  6. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  7. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute

What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?

What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?

Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:

Non-rehabilitation of displaced people

Controversial land acquisition by the government

Violation of free prior informed consent

Non-implementation/violation of LARR Act

Incorrect estimation of compensation

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Pending

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

Name of the adjudicatory body

Name(s) of the Court(s)

High Court for the State of Telangana

Case Number

WP 17222/2018,WP 26421/2017, WP 26421/2017, WP 35059/2017, WP 20027/2018

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

No items found.

Whether criminal law was used against protestors:

Reported Details of the Violation:

Date of Violation

Location of Violation

Nature of Protest

Protests/marches

Hunger strike

Complaints/petitions/letters/memorandums to officials

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Revenue Department, Special Land Acquisition Officer, District Collector, Joint Collector

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Congress Party, Telugu Desam Party, Mallannasagar Mumpu Graamala Porata Samiti, Telangana Rashtra Samithi

Resources Related to Conflict

  • News Articles Related to the Conflict:
  • Documents Related to the Conflict:
  • Links Related to the Conflict:

Image Credit:  

Image Credit:  

Documented By

Text Link

Reviewed By

Text Link

Updated By

Text Link

Edited By

Text LinkLand Conflict Watch

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