Land ‘acquired’ decades ago,never taken possession of,still taxed

He recalls how tribals in 1957-58 first resisted acquisition of the 227 acres,then for a seed farm for adjoining Ranchi Agricultural College. “We told them we were already doing what they wanted to do — agriculture,” he said. Since then,the Birsa Agricultural University has since come up instead of the RAC.

Now,the government wants to use the same land for a campus that will accommodate an IIM,an IIT and a National University for Study and Research in Law. A Ring Road is already under construction,cutting through the site that lies along the Ranchi-Patratu Road to the north of the capital city.

Last week,the Supreme Court refused to entertain a petition moved on behalf of Nagri’s “landowners” that sought to halt the construction. Thursday’s lathicharge followed when villagers allegedly tried to damage the boundary wall around the campus site.

The Jharkhand government maintains it acquired the land in 1957-58; the Supreme Court observed that the petitioners had approached it on a “50-year-old case.” The Oraon-majority population of Nagri,however,maintains that no tribal had surrendered land back then. They have been cultivating the land uninterrupted,with the government having never taken possession. In fact,villagers say,they have been paying tax on the property,the last time as recently as 2006.

Nandi Kachhap,a housewife who became an activist,says tribals refused the 1957-1958 compensation,offered at about six rupees per “dismil” (one acre is approximately 100 dismils). “Of the 153 land titles that were acquired,the owners of 25 accepted compensation. All of them were from a non-tribal community,while those in possession of the other 128 were tribals,” says Kachhap.

The 25 titles involved the ownership of about 32 of the 227 acres. The compensation offered for land under the other 128 titles,Rs 1.33 lakh,is still with the state treasury. “When the government did not take possession of the property of the 25 who accepted compensation,the village decided to cultivate it,” says Kachhap.

Tribal activist Dayamani Barla,part of the current agitation,says,“The land should go back to the original owner as the government has not used it for the purpose it was acquired for within 10 years.”

The titles are in the name of those who owned the property in 1932,when the last land survey was conducted in the area. “The two acres 10 dismils I have within the 227 acres is in my father’s name. I had a brother then and now,two generations later,there are 11 inheritors,” says Gondra Oraon.

Deputy commissioner Vinay Kumar Choubey insists the acquisition was completed. “Various court orders in our favour are proof of that,” he said. He refuses to comment why tax was collected on acquired land. Encouraged by the Supreme Court order,he says work on the campus will go ahead as planned.

The people of Nagri had suffered setbacks in the Ranchi High Court before moving the Supreme Court. Agitators says they will now file a review petition.

People from 34 adjoining villages have joined them,as they fear that Nagri would be used as a precedent to acquire land for the proposed Greater Ranchi Development Authority. They do not even want to discuss compensation. “The Supreme Court talked of 50 years. We are talking of hundreds of years of tribal history intertwined with these lands,” says Barla.

Villagers qualify their rejection,though. “We are willing to accept compensation for the 13 acres acquired for the Ring Road in 2007,” says Kachhap. “The Ring Road is good for development. Let them build the IIM in the hills,on non-agricultural land.”