Here's a straightforward look at a recent court decision about land compensation in Latur, Maharashtra. The court increased the payment for farmers whose lands were taken for a water project.
Several farmers from Babhalgaon, Latur, including Nilkanth Laxman Hattarge, went to the court because they were unhappy with the money offered for their land. The land was taken to build a Percolation Tank. Originally, they were offered amounts like Rs. 1394/- and Rs. 2788/- per R, but the farmers wanted Rs. 250 per square foot instead.
"The judge definitely made a mistake by not considering similar land sales in the same village."
On the other hand, the State of Maharashtra, through the Collector Latur, argued that the payment was too high. They wanted the court to reduce it, saying that the land wasn’t as valuable as claimed.
The judges, Nitin B. Suryawanshi and Sandipkumar C. More, looked at several past sales and court cases to decide a fair price. They agreed to increase the payment to Rs. 165 per square foot, which was more than what was initially offered but less than what the farmers wanted.
The court decided on Rs. 165 per square foot by looking at past sales of nearby lands. They found that similar lands were sold for about Rs. 220 per square foot, but they deducted some value because the lands were in different locations.
"We think it's right to give more money... at the rate of Rs.165/- per sq.ft."
Apart from the increased payment, the farmers will also get: - 12% interest per year from January 10, 2003, to February 12, 2004. - 30% extra as a bonus for the inconvenience. - 9% interest per year for the first year after the decision and 15% per year after that until they get the full amount.
The court decided to increase the payment to Rs. 165 per square foot for the farmers, along with additional interest and bonuses. This decision ensures that the farmers receive fair compensation for their land.
