Tripura's Industrial Development offices sealed over non-payment of land compensation dues

Within a few hours after Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha made his maiden visit to Bodhjungnagar industrial growth center for finding the ground reality of the industries, an embarrassing moment took place for the Tripura Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCL) on Saturday, August 20 evening.

A lower court of Tripura sealed the offices of TIDCL’s Chairman and Managing Director over non-payment of land compensation dues for a piece of land, which was acquired in 2016 and for the same industrial growth centre that the CM had visited in the morning.

Abhishek Chandra, Special Secretary for Industries and Commerce, during a press conference at the Agartala Press Club here last evening said, that in connection to land acquisition for a piece of land by the TIDCL in 2016, a court case was going on with the land owner who was not satisfied with the compensation being provided.

The Special Secretary said, “On the demand for increasing the compensation for a particular land acquired by the TIDCL, the land owner had knocked on the door of the lower court which in September 2019 had passed an order enhancing the compensation amount to Rs 4.79 crores and directed TIDCL to make the payment. Not satisfied by the impugned judgment and order, TIDCL moved to the High Court in 2021 and contested the order.”

He also said that out of enhanced compensation of Rs 4.79 crores, during filing of the appeal to the High Court, TIDCL had deposited a part payment of Rs1,28,27,500 as directed by the upper court.

Meanwhile, the lower court had asked TIDC to pay the total awarded amount of Rs 4.79 crores as the lawyer of TIDCL was trying to get a stay order from the High Court on the judgment of the lower court and on August 18 last an affidavit was also submitted by Officer on Special Duty (OSD) from the TIDC to the High Court seeking a stay of the lower court’s judgment. 

But only two days later, the lower court approached the TIDC office with attachment orders, where the concerned judge had directed the Corporation to pay Rs 4.79 crores in full, failing which the bailiff was authorized to attach movable properties of the TIDCL.

However, Special Secretary Chandra informed that the High Court had not issued any specific stay order on the lower court verdict and TIDCL shall attend the lower court on Monday.