Explain 23-year delay in giving compensation: High Court tells govt

The acquisition, which also covered area in Nangal Dewat and Mahipalpur, was part of a large-scale project for the expansion of the Indira Gandhi International IGI Airport.

This time the farmers are back in court seeking contempt action against the government for 8220;wilful defiance8221; of the earlier judicial direction.

Admitting their petition, Justice Shiv Narayan Dhingra, who is hearing the case, has issued notices to the Lieutenant

Governor of Delhi, the Land and Building Department and the Land Acquisition Collector.

The responses of all the three have to be submitted to the court by April 27.

In 2005, the court had asked the farmers to file a proper representation before the Collector giving particulars of the land owned by them and the compensation they expected.

The Collector was asked to verify each and every application and pass orders for compensation within six months of receiving the application.

8220;Farmers had filed their claims before the Land Acquisition Commissioner way back in October 2005 but other than false assurances they got little else,8221; Surat Singh, counsel for the farmers submitted in court.