Haryana govt accused in another land acquisition case

Amid controversy over the acquisition of land in a Gurgaon village for the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust, the Haryana government has been dragged to the Supreme Court for acquiring over 2,700 acre of fertile land in Rohtak district, for developing a township. While the state government is defending the acquisition of over 850 acres, which also covers land for the Trust at Ullahawas village in the Punjab and Haryana high court, an apex court bench has sought its response on the land acquired in the villages of Kheri Sadh, Baliyana and Kharawar.

A bench of justices J M Panchal and H L Gokhale on August 1 issued notices to the union ministry of environment and forest, the urban development ministry and the Haryana government on a petition filed by an NGO contending that "one of the most fertile land of India" is being acquired despite availability of barren tracts in the nearby area.

"Though admittedly, there was barren land which was available in the same tehsil of Rohtak, most suitable for the purpose of acquisition for establishing the township, the government has attempted to acquire huge tracts of lucrative arable lands surrounding the same," the NGO, Bharat Bhoomi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, said.

The taking away of the land for development of a township would have impact on agricultural and other related produce in the area, the NGO said, giving details of the loss likely to be caused by the acquisition of land in these villages.