Karwar naval base’s tale of misery for 30,000 people

Coastal News: The Rs 15,000 crore aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya may have showcased Navy's fire power for Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 'Seabird' Naval Base at Karwar, but the land on which India's biggest naval base was built continues to be a source of miseries for people whose land was acquired for it. In October 1986, then PM Rajiv Gandhi had inaugurated the Seabird project and had assured the people that the project would be implemented in such a manner that not even one person would have to shed tears for loss of his land, acquired for the project. After nearly 30 years, those who lost their land to the 'Seabird' project are only shedding tears. After the Reference Court determined the compensation at Rs 4.5 lakh per acre more than two decades back, the erstwhile land owners have not yet seen the money in their hand. They have been dragged to the High Court and from there to the Supreme Court by the state government and the defence estate officer as the rate of compensation was challenged. Most of them came together and hired common lawyer. The courts ruled in their favour and dismissed the appeals. Yet, only a handful among the 30,000 affected have got full compensation for their acquired land. The compensation for the few came only after they moved contempt petitions before the apex court. Originally there were not 30,000 claimants. But on death of land owners, their numerous legal heirs have been substituted as the claimants. Approximately 1,000 hectares, or 2,500 acres, of land was acquired for the 'Seabird' naval base. Their counsel Devadatt Kamat told TOI that most of them, who are small farmers and fishermen, do not have the money to file individual contempt petitions against the Defence Estate Officer to get the compensation. If they had been rendered landless 30 years ago, penury now stares at them, he said. The apex court had on September 13, 2012 dismissed the appeals of the authorities and directed the Defence Estate Officer to pay the enhanced amount of compensation along with other statutory benefits to the land owners within four months in the form of demand drafts. The DEO requested for more time to comply with the apex court's order and it was granted time till June 10, 2013. But, the payments were not made warranting filing of contempt petition by two persons. These two have been paid and the court was informed on March 31 this year that drafts for Rs 1.07 crore had been sent to them. The court listed it for hearing in July. Kamat says: "The amount payable today as compensation runs to almost Rs 600 crores." He says the affected persons are pinning hope on Modi's maiden speech in Parliament that development could not be the cause for sorrow for a section of people and hope that their dues would be released soon. -TOI