Karwar: Even after 30 years of land grabbing for the implementation of the Konkan Railway Project, no compensation has been given so far. The people of Harawada and Sakalabena Villages have appealed to the District Administration to take appropriate action in this regard.
They also demanded an inquiry into the case registered in connection with the issue of alienation of land acquired for the Konkan Railway Project under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and compensation at the earliest.
The Konkan Railway Corporation has also acquired land required for the Project in various villages in the past and several cases filed under Section 18 of the Karnataka Land Acquisition Act have been taken up in the Senior Civil Court in Kumta of the District
However, as per the order issued in case no. 313/2006 of the Civil Court of Lands of Harawada and Sakalabena Villages of Ankola Taluk, the refugees of Harawada and Sakalabena Villages and others have been booked under Section 28 (a) of the Land Acquisition Act.
The cases are in the office of the Assistant Commissioner and the Special Land Acquisition Officer of Konkan Railway, Kumta. It had also issued an inquiry notice earlier saying it would hear some cases.
It was said that the cases pending trial would be taken up soon. But even after a few years, no notice has been issued for the trial of the case, no relief has been given to the petitioners in the case so far for the refugees. It has already been 30 years since the refugees lost their agricultural land. Most of the refugees who have to be compensated are economically poor.
According to the memorandum submitted to the District Administration, despite repeated requests from the Special Land Acquisition Officer and Assistant Commissioner of Kumta, justice has not been done.
The District Administration has been urged to look into 28 (a) cases and conduct an inquiry at the earliest and provide justice to the petitioners and their dependents.
