Contingency charge exempted for ICG

Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has exempted the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) from the payment of 5% contingency charges by relaxing relevant section of land acquisition rules for the acquisition of 9.5 acres of land in Vizhinjam. The exemption has been granted on the condition that 5% contingency charges along with the entire cost of acquisition need to be deposited by the ICG prior to 19(1) declaration.The government has granted exemption from contingency charges also for the acquisition of 1.779 hectares of land in Puthiyangadi and Kasaba villages of Kozhikode district for the Coast Guard.The Commandant, Coast Guard, Thiruvananthapuram, had requested to grant exemption from the initial deposition of 5% contingency charges with regard to the acquisition of 9.5 acres of land in Vizhinjam for Coast Guard. It has been informed that they were directed by the Coast Guard headquarters, New Delhi, to take up the case with the state since there is no provision of advance payment.The district collector, Kozhikode, had informed the government that formal requisition was placed by the Coast Guard for acquiring 1.779 hectares of land in Puthiyangadi and Kasaba villages and when the requisitioning authority was asked to deposit 5% contingency charges, it was informed that ICG was exempted from the mandatory payment of 5% contingency charges with regard to the acquisition of 67 cents of land in Pettah.ICG quoted the precedence to request for exemption from the mandatory payment of 5% contingency charges.