HC imposes stay on construction activities on Pada land

SURAT, Aug 17: The High Court has directed district and civic authorities not to carry out any construction activities on the 1.25 lakh sq meter Pada land in Rander Borwada, which was acquired by District Collector R M Shah on August 3 for water works to be constructed by the Surat Municipal Corporation.

Farmers, mostly SC/ST, whose land was acquired under the Pada Yojna, had moved the High Court challenging the collector’s order. The farmers had been cultivating the land since 1928. The state government had in 1995 ordered the civic body to return excess land acquired under the scheme to farmers. The collector was also directed to return the land to original farmers.

The corporation had in 1994 decided to construct water works at Jahagirpura, and a resolution to this effect was adopted by the civic body. However, due to reasons not made public, the SMC gave up the idea of constructing water works at the proposed site and decided to construct it at Borwada.

The affected farmers approached the Court, which has given interim injection against the collector’s order. The hearing has been fixed for September 7.