HC for fresh assessment of award in MDC acquisition

CHANDIGARH: With Punjab and Haryana High Court recently setting aside a Rs 140-crore compensation package for 683.76 acre of land acquired by Haryana government in two Panchkula villages for development of Mansa Devi Complex, Panchkula district court has embarked on fresh determination of the award.
The matter pertains to 683.76 acres in Saketri and Bhainsa Tibba that were acquired by Haryana in phases.The acquisition was aimed at development of residential, commercial, institutional and recreational facilities in Sectors 1, 2, 3, 5-b, 5-c and 6 of Mansa Devi Complex, Panchkula. Land in Bhainsa Tibba was also acquired for providing amenities to devotees of Mata Mansa Devi.
The relief package was pegged at around Rs 140 crore by Panchkula lower court that applied cuts and averages method to arrive at the same.
However, while disposing of as many as 804 petitions filed by land owners and Haryana, seeking a review of the said compensation award, justice Rajesh Bindal of the HC had, in his recent order, said he was not convinced with the lower court���s findings and stressed on the need to have a fresh and fair determination of award.