Hyderabad High Court to AP: List rehab package for displaced

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Thursday asked the AP government to inform it about the steps being taken for the rehabilitation and resettlement of project-affected families in the state.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice K. Vijaya Lakshmi was dealing with a PIL by the AP Agricul-tural Workers Union, represe-nted by its secretary Venkat-eswarlu, challenging the action of the authorities in resorting to displace the affected families under the various projects without announcing the resettlement and rehabilitation packages.

The bench reminded Mr Dammalapati Srinivas, the advocate general of AP, that he had assured the court on November 21, 2017 that they would take steps to identify the affected families of land acquisition for various projects in the state and will provide resettlement and rehabilitation to them within four months.

Stating that four months have been completed on March 21, 2018, the bench asked the AG about the steps they have taken to identify the affected families and for their resettlement and rehabilitation under Section 16 to 18 of the Land Acquisition Act 2013. 

The AG said that the affected families will be identified through a survey and the district collector will pass the award under the R & R project based on the survey. The bench adjourned the case to Tuesday following a request from the AG.