COIMBATORE: After a prolonged wait of nearly 45 years, around 1,100 farmers whose lands were acquired for the establishment of Bharathiar University (BU) in Coimbatore are hopeful of receiving enhanced compensation.
Nearly 924 acres of agricultural land across the villages of Vadavalli, Somayampalayam and Veerapandi were acquired from about 1,150 farmers between 1979 and 1986 to establish the university.
At the time, the government fixed compensation at only Rs 33 to Rs 85 per cent of the land, a rate many small and marginal farmers considered grossly inadequate.
Refusing to accept the amount, a section of the farmers approached the court seeking enhanced compensation. The court later directed the government to pay between Rs 2,600 and Rs 3,000 per cent, along with Rs 15 per cent annual interest calculated from the date of acquisition.
However, the issue remained unresolved for years as legal proceedings and appeals continued. During this period, farmer organisations staged several protests demanding the implementation of the court order. In 2013, following sustained agitation, the state government released Rs 43 crore towards interest payments.
In a recent development, the state government issued a Government Order allocating 195 acres of university land to the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO).
The proceeds from the transfer, amounting to Rs 164.28 crore, will be distributed as compensation to the affected farmers.
Welcoming the decision, CP Padmanabhan, district secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Coimbatore, said the announcement had brought immense relief to farmers who had endured decades of hardship.
“Some farmers still have doubts regarding the method used to calculate the interest component. We will seek clarification from the District Collector. If there are any discrepancies, the issue will be pursued through appropriate channels,” he said.