Families displaced for NDA await rehab, HC pulls up Pune collector

The Bombay high court has directed the Collector, Pune to explain as to why he did not take concrete steps for resuming over 38 acres land at Hingne, meant for rehabilitation of Kopare villagers displaced by the National Defence Academy (NDA), from M/s Kakade Constructions Private Limited after the firm purportedly failed to complete the rehabilitation project.

The division bench of justice SC Dharmadhikari and justice RI Chagla has also directed the Collector to disclose in the affidavit if he was feeling inhibited in any manner from taking the requisite steps or exercising powers conferred on him by the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code to protect and safeguard the public property.

The bench has directed him to file the affidavit by December 11, 2019.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Shree Kamladevi Gramvikas Pratishthan espousing cause of the families waiting for their proper rehabilitation and separate petitions by some of the affected families. The petitioner body complained that there was no progress in the work of their resettlement, which has been entrusted to Kakade Constructions.