Ambiguity prevails over compensation to patta land holders in Musi river bed

A worker demolishing a house alongside Musi river at Shankarnagar, Hyderabad.
| Photo Credit: File photo

The fate of patta holders in the Musi river bed remains ambiguous in the context of State government’s assertion that laws pertaining to land acquisition would be applied to the residents to be displaced by the Musi Riverfront Development project.

The State government had assured the Centre that the rules of the ‘Telangana State Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Rules 2014’ will be followed for resettlement of the affected households and land acquisition.

Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Tokhan Sahu, during his reply to a question by MP K.R. Suresh Reddy, replied that the Telangana State government had informed that the project ensured no widespread demolition or homelessness and includes a well-planned rehabilitation and resettlement process for affected households, following due procedures.

Further, the State has earmarked and allotted 15,000 houses to the families residing in dwelling units of river bed and buffer zone of Musi river on humanitarian grounds, the reply stated. A Consultative Livelihood Support Committee has been constituted by the State government for ensuring smooth transition of affected families, it said citing the State government.

A total 2,166 households were enumerated by the Revenue department in the Musi river bed, all of which were marked with the sign ‘RB-X’ giving rise to protests by the dwellers as well as the opposition parties, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, and Bharatiya Janata Party.

In addition, a total 7,850 structures were enumerated in the buffer zone demarcated to the extent of 50 metres on either side of the river.

During its initial announcement, the State government had promised double bedroom housing units to all the displaced, while those in the buffer with proper documents would be paid compensation for the land and structure as per the land acquisition rules.

However, the hitch comes with the patta lands inside the river bed — a unique feature in the Telangana, whereby cultivation and grazing pattas were given by the Asaf Jahi rulers to a few communities for growing grass and vegetables during the dry season.

While the dwellers in the river bed cannot claim any compensation for the structures as they are illegal according to the Hyderabad Irrigation Act 1357 Fasli (adopted in 1948), there are a large number of dwellers, who had legally purchased plots from the original owners, and constructed homes.

“About 60-70% of the owners in the river bed have valid registration documents and building permissions too. But payment of compensation to them remains ambiguous,” said Syed Bilal, an activist.

The Musi development plan includes a proposal to bring down water from Mallannasagar reservoir to fill in the twin reservoirs, and release into the Musi, so that the river flows perennially. This will also condemn the lands forever to water.

The government’s position about payment of compensation to the owners of these lands has not been spelt out yet. Queries about the same to Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration & Urban Development, M.Dana Kishore remained unanswered.