Hyderabad: Telangana high court has directed National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and other authorities to first verify whether a crop was being raised on land being acquired for a proposed National Highway (NH) project in Tekurutla and Chityal mandals of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, after landowners said their paddy crop was on the verge of being destroyed due to the project.A division bench of Justices T Madhavi Devi and GM Mohiuddin, holding the vacation bench, said, “If there is a standing crop, authorities are directed not to interfere with the possession of the petitioners and permit them (petitioners) to harvest their crop.” Later, the court adjourned the matter to June 8 for further hearing.The bench issued the directions while hearing an appeal by five farmers challenging a single judge order that relegated the petitioners to avail the statutory remedy under the National Highways Act and, thereafter, if necessary, under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.The appellants contended that, even as they were pursuing statutory remedies, authorities were preparing to acquire their land parcels, even before proper compensation towards the acquisition was finalised.“Moreover, paddy is in a ripe stage, coming up for harvest in a few days. Works are going on at full swing in the adjacent land,” the petitioners contended and submitted photographs showing paddy crop in the land being acquired for the NH project.The appellants requested protection till at least the completion of high court’s summer vacation. They further claimed that authorities had already entered into portions of their land.After hearing the appellants and examining the evidence, the bench issued notices to all the respondent parties, including NHAI, and passed the directions.
