The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Land acquisition: firm moves court

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Land acquisition: firm moves court

Special Correspondent

Notices to the Government, TIDCO and Mutt

CHENNAI: A U.S.-based company, which is to establish a multiproduct Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Nanguneri, has moved the Madras High Court against acquisition of 400 acres of land by the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO).

Justice V. Dhanapalan, before whom the writ petition came up for admission, ordered notices to the Government, TIDCO and the Sri Vanamamalai Mutt.

The petitioner said it had agreed to set up an SEZ, for which a minimum of 2,500 acres of land was required. In December 2006, the State Government told the company that only 2,100 acres was available and for the remaining stretch the company could hold discussions with the Mutt, which owned the adjoining properties.

After several rounds of talks, the company finalised the land belonging to the Mutt, paid the amount and also obtained the Government’s consent for the deal.

However, on July 30, 2007, the impugned GO was issued conveying the Mutt lands to TIDCO for the same consideration. Describing it as illegal, the company said that after the agreement of sale between it and the Mutt had been approved and sanctioned the Government had no power or authority to pass the GO. It sought stay on all further proceedings pursuant to the GO, and prayed for the quashing of the order.

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