Summary: The High Court at Bombay recently dealt with a heated case over land compensation for building a water tank in Babhalgaon, Latur. The landowners, led by Kondabai Todkar, argued for more money, while the State of Maharashtra wanted to pay less. Here's what happened.
Families from Babhalgaon, Latur, including Kondabai Todkar and others, were trying to get a fair amount of money after their lands were taken to build Percolation Tank No. 2. The first offer was between Rs. 1394 to Rs. 2788 per R, but the court later changed this to Rs. 125 per square foot. The landowners thought their land was worth Rs. 250 per square foot because it was in a great spot near the Latur-Nilanga State Highway and other important places.
The court, led by Judges Nitin B. Suryawanshi and Sandipkumar C. More, looked at several things: - Location and Growth: The lands were close to important places like a police academy and colleges, which could make them more valuable. - Similar Sales: Past sales in the area showed prices between Rs. 214 and Rs. 250 per square foot. - Past Decisions: The court checked previous cases where similar lands got more money.
"The acquired lands were next to Latur-Nilanga State Highway and surrounded by developed infrastructure."
"The compensation granted is definitely too much and needs further reduction."
After looking at all the evidence, the court decided: - The compensation should be Rs. 165 per square foot. - Interest and extra benefits were to be adjusted according to specific rules. - The state's appeals to lower the compensation were not accepted.
This case shows the challenges of land acquisition and the struggle between landowners wanting fair compensation and the state trying to keep costs down. The court's decision aimed to balance these interests, ensuring fairness for the Babhalgaon families.
