Nano Project: Third petition filed in Gujarat HC

A third petition demanding compensation for land sold by the state government to the Tata for the Nano Car Project was filed in the Gujarat High Court by the farmers of Bol Village in Sanad taluka here where the manufacturing unit is coming up.

A division bench of Chief Justice K S Radhakrishnan and Justice Akil Qureshi today adjourned the hearing on the three similar cases which are being heard simultaneously till January 19, 2009.

The court has also asked the government to file a reply to the petitions explaining under what circumstances and on what basis was the land under question was acquired by the government in 1900.

State government has recently given 1,100 acres of the land to Tata at Northcout farm in Sanand Taluka to relocate their Nano car project from Singur to Sanand.

Two petition filed in the matter includes one by farmers of Khoda village demanding compensation for 865 acre of land and other a public interest litigation (PIL) by Gandhinagar-based Rashtriya Kisan Dal, asking for adequate compensation for the farmers.

Eighteen farmers of Bol village have claimed that they are original owners of the 960 acre land which was taken on lease by the government for 99 years from their ancestors during the drought in 1900 for protection of cows of 'Kankreji' breed.