KOCHI: While the state government is eager to take over land for use by private investors, it is not so enthusiastic in acquiring land for public causes such as widening of the national highways, the Kerala high court said on Thursday.
The government is turning its back on public causes and is delaying acquisition of land for widening of the national highways.
The government is adopting such an attitude with the intention of limiting the width of the national highway, a division bench comprising Chief Justice
Manjula Chellur and Justice P R
Ramachandra Menon observed.
The court was considering a batch of petitions alleging that highways are not being widened despite acquiring land and that the government is trying to limit the width of the highways to 30 metres instead of the originally proposed 45 metres.
Severely criticizing the government, the bench pointed out that the government's enthusiasm in acquiring land for Aranmula airport and NRI medical college is not seen in NH widening. The enthusiasm shown by the government in private projects should also be shown in projects like NH widening, which is beneficial to the common man, the bench said.
National Highways Authority of India has informed that widening of the highways is not happening as the state government hasn't acquired and handed over the necessary land. It is alleged that the state government directed to put on hold plans of district administrations to acquire necessary land for widening of the highways. While it is the habit of the state government to blame the Centre for everything, what does it have to say in this case, the court queried.
Further, the court said it is of the opinion that highways should have a width of 60 metres as seen in other states. How can the state government file an affidavit stating that it cannot acquire and hand over the necessary land? Courts cannot interfere in matters regarding governance. If the court takes a harsh decision on such issues, the allegation of judicial activism is immediately raised. However, if the government is not taking a suitable decision in this matter, the court would have to interfere in the policy decision of the government, the bench warned.
Scheduling another hearing in the matter after two weeks, the court ordered the chief secretary to file an affidavit explaining the actions taken for acquiring land for widening NH47 and NH17, including the timeline in which the acquisition can be completed. Additionally, the chief secretary has been directed to inform about land acquisition proceedings since 2005 as well as details of the objections faced during acquisition procedures.