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Farmers Oppose Land Acquisition for Development of Naya Raipur in Chhattisgarh

Reported by

Riddhi Pandey

Legal Review by

Edited by

Updated by

Published on

October 18, 2016

May 17, 2022

Edited on

October 18, 2016

State

Chhattisgarh

Sector

Infrastructure

People Affected by Conflict

5864

Households Affected by Conflict

Land Area Affected (in Hectares)

8013

ha

Starting Year

2005

Location of Conflict

Naya Raipur

Raipur

Reason or Cause of Conflict

Smart City

Land Conflict Summary

Farmers in the state have protested against the unfair land acquisition procedure followed by the Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) for constructing the new capital, Naya Raipur. At least 97 separate petitions filed in 2011 by the farmers are still pending in the Chhattisgarh high court. The affected farmers have demanded a better rate of compensation for their lands.  Under the New Raipur Master Plan2031, the NRDA acquired over 8,000 hectares of land from the residents of 27 villages to develop the core of Naya Raipur. The complete project includes 41 villages. The acquisition has affected over 5,000 farmers so far who have lost their fertile lands.  The conflict started in 2005 after the state government banned the sale and purchase of land within a 30kilometre radius of Raipur as it wanted to acquire the land, which was primarily agricultural land. This made the villagers dependent on the compensation rate offered by the state government, which they considered inadequate and lesser than the market value of the land.  In February 2012, the high court stayed the land acquisition proceedings owing to allegations of coercion and fraud. But a different judge immediately lifted the stay order.  In the same year, the affected farmers, under the banner of Naya Rajdhani Prabhavit Kisan Kalyan Samiti, submitted an appeal to the president of India, who was to inaugurate the capital. They also submitted a memorandum to the NRDA and the state chief secretary. On November 7, 2017, 117 residents of Rakhi village were arrested and detained for two hours as they were protesting against forceful evacuations and the subsequent demolition of 21 houses. Reportedly, the administration denied compensation and rehabilitation to the house owners, claiming that the houses were illegally constructed.  In February 2018, affected farmers, labourers, businessmen and the unemployed youths organised a march to Bilaspur with the support of local political leaders and organisations. The movement was called 'Hamar Adhikar De'.  On May 1, 2018, over 1,500 farmers, who organised themselves under the banner of Kisan Kalyan Samiti, marched from Raipur to Bilaspur. Upon reaching Bilaspur on May 4, the farmers sat on a strike outside the high court and submitted a memorandum listing their demands and complaints. They also requested the court to conduct hearings for the petitions filed. The farmers alleged that the state government was delaying the distribution of compensation, employment and allocation of new landholdings promised under the rehabilitation policy. They also accused the authorities of acquiring their land by fraudulent means and at meagre rates.    In August 2019, the Chhattisgarh high court ruled in favour of one of the petitioners by directing the NRDA to allocate land in place of the land acquired to the petitioner. However, many of the cases are still pending. Meanwhile, the construction work is halted due to the COVID19 pandemic restrictions. 

Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Complaint against procedural violations

Demand for more compensation than promised

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Urban and Rural

Type of Land

Both

Type of Common Land

Non-Forest (Grazing Land), Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

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):

Type of investment:

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Legal Data

Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict

Land Acquisition Laws, Central/State Government Policy

Legislations/Policies Involved

Land Acquisition Act, 1894
Section 23 [While determining the amount of compensation payable, the Collector shall take into account the market value of the land and the the reasonable expenses incurred if the persons interested are compelled to change their place of business or residence]; Section 16 [The collector shall take possession of the land after an award of compensation has been made]
Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
Section 24 [This section talks about retrospective applicability; here, the petitioner demands that unpaid compensation should be calculated under the new 2013 Act]; Section 27 [Amount of compensation is determined under this section]; Section 77 [Compensation is to be paid under this section]; Section 80 [Under this section, when compensation is not paid or if there is delay, interest becomes payable]
Madhya Pradesh Nagar Tatha Gram Nivesh Adhiniyam, 1973
Section 56 [Upon the payment of compensation, the land acquired shall vest in 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:

Controversial land acquisition by the government

Delay in compensation

Incorrect estimation of compensation

Non-implementation/violation of LARR Act

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Pending

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

No

Name of the adjudicatory body

Name(s) of the Court(s)

High Court of Chhattisgarh

Case Number

W.P.(C) No. 2432 of 2017; WPC No. 792 of 2018

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

Arrest/detention/imprisonment

Whether criminal law was used against protestors:

Reported Details of the Violation:

The police arrested 117 residents of the village and detained them for two hours as they were protesting against forceful evacuations and the subsequent demolition of 21 houses.

Date of Violation

November 7, 2017

Location of Violation

Rakhi village

Additional Information

Nature of Protest

Advocacy (for inclusion in courts)

Protests/marches

Strikes

Complaints/petitions/letters/memorandums to officials

Development of a network or collective

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Naya Raipur Development Authority

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:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Nayi Raajdhaani Prabhaavit Kisaan Kalyaan Samiti

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

Farmers in the state have protested against the unfair land acquisition procedure followed by the Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) for constructing the new capital, Naya Raipur. At least 97 separate petitions filed in 2011 by the farmers are still pending in the Chhattisgarh high court. The affected farmers have demanded a better rate of compensation for their lands.  Under the New Raipur Master Plan2031, the NRDA acquired over 8,000 hectares of land from the residents of 27 villages to develop the core of Naya Raipur. The complete project includes 41 villages. The acquisition has affected over 5,000 farmers so far who have lost their fertile lands.  The conflict started in 2005 after the state government banned the sale and purchase of land within a 30kilometre radius of Raipur as it wanted to acquire the land, which was primarily agricultural land. This made the villagers dependent on the compensation rate offered by the state government, which they considered inadequate and lesser than the market value of the land.  In February 2012, the high court stayed the land acquisition proceedings owing to allegations of coercion and fraud. But a different judge immediately lifted the stay order.  In the same year, the affected farmers, under the banner of Naya Rajdhani Prabhavit Kisan Kalyan Samiti, submitted an appeal to the president of India, who was to inaugurate the capital. They also submitted a memorandum to the NRDA and the state chief secretary. On November 7, 2017, 117 residents of Rakhi village were arrested and detained for two hours as they were protesting against forceful evacuations and the subsequent demolition of 21 houses. Reportedly, the administration denied compensation and rehabilitation to the house owners, claiming that the houses were illegally constructed.  In February 2018, affected farmers, labourers, businessmen and the unemployed youths organised a march to Bilaspur with the support of local political leaders and organisations. The movement was called 'Hamar Adhikar De'.  On May 1, 2018, over 1,500 farmers, who organised themselves under the banner of Kisan Kalyan Samiti, marched from Raipur to Bilaspur. Upon reaching Bilaspur on May 4, the farmers sat on a strike outside the high court and submitted a memorandum listing their demands and complaints. They also requested the court to conduct hearings for the petitions filed. The farmers alleged that the state government was delaying the distribution of compensation, employment and allocation of new landholdings promised under the rehabilitation policy. They also accused the authorities of acquiring their land by fraudulent means and at meagre rates.    In August 2019, the Chhattisgarh high court ruled in favour of one of the petitioners by directing the NRDA to allocate land in place of the land acquired to the petitioner. However, many of the cases are still pending. Meanwhile, the construction work is halted due to the COVID19 pandemic restrictions. 

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Complaint against procedural violations

Demand for more compensation than promised

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Urban and Rural

Type of Land

Both

Type of Common Land

Non-Forest (Grazing Land), Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

Total investment involved (in Crores):

Type of investment:

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict

Land Acquisition Laws, Central/State Government Policy

Legislations/Policies Involved

Land Acquisition Act, 1894
Section 23 [While determining the amount of compensation payable, the Collector shall take into account the market value of the land and the the reasonable expenses incurred if the persons interested are compelled to change their place of business or residence]; Section 16 [The collector shall take possession of the land after an award of compensation has been made]
Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
Section 24 [This section talks about retrospective applicability; here, the petitioner demands that unpaid compensation should be calculated under the new 2013 Act]; Section 27 [Amount of compensation is determined under this section]; Section 77 [Compensation is to be paid under this section]; Section 80 [Under this section, when compensation is not paid or if there is delay, interest becomes payable]
Madhya Pradesh Nagar Tatha Gram Nivesh Adhiniyam, 1973
Section 56 [Upon the payment of compensation, the land acquired shall vest in 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:

Controversial land acquisition by the government

Delay in compensation

Incorrect estimation of compensation

Non-implementation/violation of LARR Act

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Pending

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

No

Name of the adjudicatory body

Name(s) of the Court(s)

High Court of Chhattisgarh

Case Number

W.P.(C) No. 2432 of 2017; WPC No. 792 of 2018

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

Arrest/detention/imprisonment

Whether criminal law was used against protestors:

Reported Details of the Violation:

The police arrested 117 residents of the village and detained them for two hours as they were protesting against forceful evacuations and the subsequent demolition of 21 houses.

Date of Violation

November 7, 2017

Location of Violation

Rakhi village

Nature of Protest

Advocacy (for inclusion in courts)

Protests/marches

Strikes

Complaints/petitions/letters/memorandums to officials

Development of a network or collective

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Naya Raipur Development Authority

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:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Nayi Raajdhaani Prabhaavit Kisaan Kalyaan Samiti

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

Other Land Conflicts in Chhattisgarh

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