Nagpur: Nearly seven months after winning a two-decade legal battle, seven farmers whose agricultural land was acquired for Pench water supply project Phase IV are still awaiting enhanced compensation of over Rs1 crore.According to official records, the land was acquired in 2006-07 for laying a 1,930mm-diameter transmission pipeline to augment Nagpur’s drinking water supply. The pipeline passed through farmland belonging to the seven farmers at Mouza Nanda in Kamptee tehsil.On January 8 this year, the office of the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), Mouda, directed the executive engineer of NMC’s Pench Project Cell to deposit Rs1,02,10,936 towards enhanced compensation. The beneficiaries include Vasant Surajprasad Modh, Rajesh Karnaraj Modh, Devaji Khade, Deepak Khade, Sudhakar Khade and two other landowners covered under the acquisition proceedings.However, the amount is yet to be deposited. A senior official admitted that NMC’s public health engineering department has no records of compensation paid to farmers in the past.The affected farmers have now approached revenue minister and Nagpur guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, alleging that despite securing favourable court orders, they are yet to receive the enhanced compensation. They sought his intervention to expedite the release of dues, saying years have passed since the judgments despite completion of all legal formalities.Municipal commissioner Vipin Itankar said the matter is being processed in compliance with judicial directions. “Once NMC deposits the amount with the competent land acquisition authority, the enhanced compensation will be released to the eligible landowners,” he said.The SDO’s direction followed an order passed by the 5th Joint Civil Judge, Senior Division, Nagpur, on April 10, 2024, under Section 28A of the Land Acquisition Act, which allows similarly placed landowners to seek enhanced compensation on the basis of an earlier court award.The farmers argued that the compensation paid at the time of acquisition was substantially below the prevailing market value. The court accepted their plea and granted enhanced compensation.Following the order, the SDO’s office recalculated the compensation and instructed NMC to deposit the amount with the land acquisition authority for disbursal to the beneficiaries.The farmers alleged that NMC has failed to act on the SDO’s direction.
