Latest news with #UpperTungaProject
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
HC to govt: Devise SOP, tech integration to streamline land acquisition
Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court has directed the state govt to devise a standard operating procedure (SOP) for land acquisition processes and integrate technology to ensure efficiency, transparency, and protection for landowners. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Justice Suraj Govindaraj issued the direction after flagging "multiple anomalies" in land acquisition cases handled by the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited for the Upper Tunga Project in Haveri and the Konkan Railway Corporation in Karwar, particularly with regard to compensation delays. The court took strong exception to a case involving acquisition proceedings initiated in 1991 but resulting in a compensation award only in 2022. "The manner in which these matters approached the court... indicated the lackadaisical approach of the authorities," the judge observed. Justice Govindaraj instructed the chief secretary to consult the principal secretary of the e-governance department and draft detailed guidelines while leveraging technology. The proposed software must record and track every stage of the process — from initial notifications and inquiries to final awards — digitally. It must also capture file notings, opinions of the special land acquisition officer, guideline values, and any proceedings before the reference court. An electronic register is to be maintained for applications filed, complete with time-stamped logs and electronic notices. A detailed project report on the implementation must be submitted within six weeks. All petitions in the case were dismissed following the directions. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court has directed the state govt to devise a standard operating procedure (SOP) for land acquisition processes and integrate technology to ensure efficiency, transparency, and protection for landowners. Justice Suraj Govindaraj issued the direction after flagging "multiple anomalies" in land acquisition cases handled by the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited for the Upper Tunga Project in Haveri and the Konkan Railway Corporation in Karwar, particularly with regard to compensation delays. The court took strong exception to a case involving acquisition proceedings initiated in 1991 but resulting in a compensation award only in 2022. "The manner in which these matters approached the court... indicated the lackadaisical approach of the authorities," the judge observed. Justice Govindaraj instructed the chief secretary to consult the principal secretary of the e-governance department and draft detailed guidelines while leveraging technology. The proposed software must record and track every stage of the process — from initial notifications and inquiries to final awards — digitally. It must also capture file notings, opinions of the special land acquisition officer, guideline values, and any proceedings before the reference court. An electronic register is to be maintained for applications filed, complete with time-stamped logs and electronic notices. A detailed project report on the implementation must be submitted within six weeks. All petitions in the case were dismissed following the directions.
The Hindu
23-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Streamline process of land acquisition and award of compensation using technology, Karnataka High Court directs Chief Secretary
The High Court of Karnataka has directed the State Chief Secretary to streamline, using information technology, the process of acquisition, award of compensation, redetermination of compensation, etc., all land acquisition cases. The Chief Secretary should also lay down some guidelines of standard operating procedure with the assistance of e-government department to bring about transparency and efficiency in the system relating to grant of compensation on account of acquisition of land and while doing so, protect the interest of the land-losers, who are rendered voiceless in the proceeding, the court said. The court also said that the information technology tool to be used for streamlining the process should be capable of capturing the details of the acquisition notification, inquiry, report of the Special Land Acquisition Officers (SLAOs), final notification, court proceedings, reference of award to the courts, and all related proceedings and documents from the time of issuance of a preliminary notification till the final notification, including notices, file notings, etc. Justice Suraj Govindaraj issued the directions while pointing out the delay in the process of redetermination of compensation based on the civil court's order with respect to certain land that was acquired in 1991 for the Upper Tunga Project in Haveri district and for Konkan Railway project in Karwar of Uttara Kannada district. The SLAO had passed order on redetermination only in 2022, the court noted. The technology should have tools for day-to-day follow-up of the proceedings before the reference court, and day-to-day actions, and the responsibility of the each of the persons for the proceeding before the reference court, and other proceedings in the acquisition process, the court said. Meanwhile, the court directed the Chief Secretary to institute an enquiry on the delay in redetermination process in this case and submit a report within six weeks.
