Telangana High Court on Monday directed the State government to expedite the process of payment of compensation to the families of farmers, who ended their lives due to crop failure or agricultural losses, hailing from Jayshankar Bhupalpally district.

A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili passed this direction while hearing a PIL petition on suicides of farmers. The petition was filed by B. Kondal Reddy, a social activist of Mohinpura from Siddipet district, seeking compensation to the kith and kin of 133 farmers, who resorted to the extreme step due to loss in agriculture.

The government counsel told the bench that the compensation amount of six lakh rupees was paid to each of the 133 families already. However, the petitioner’s counsel Vasudha Nagaraj contended that she had information that families of 12 farmers had not yet received the relief from the government.

Earlier, the bench directed the Revenue Department principal secretary to personally appear before it to explain the inordinate delay in releasing compensation to the families of the farmers. The personal appearance of the top official, however, was eventually dispensed with.

The petition was posted for hearing after summer vacations.

Evacuee lands

Hearing a separate writ petition on evacuee lands in Puppalaguda village of Gandipet mandal in Ranga Reddy district, the division bench vacated a stay order issued earlier facilitating the government to lay roads through these lands for public purpose.

Earlier, some persons to whom these lands were allotted by the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA) moved the HC questioning the State government’s attempt to take back the lands. The HC issued an order staying the e-auction notice issued by the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited for development of the said lands.

On Monday, the division bench vacated the stay order, facilitating the government to lay roads through the lands. The bench said that if the petitioners succeed in their claims of rights over the lands, they can seek compensation from the government.