₹30 lakh compensation paid to 6 families for demolition of houses: Assam govt

The five families’ houses were razed on May 22, 2022, by the Nagaon district administration as they were illegal settlements and land records of the same were prepared using forged documents

The Assam government on Wednesday informed the Gauhati high court that ₹30 lakh compensation was paid to six persons whose houses were demolished two years ago in Nagaon district.

While ₹10 lakh each were paid for two concrete houses, ₹2.5 lakh each were paid for four ‘kuccha’ houses. (Representative file photo)

During the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) in the division bench of chief justice Vijay Bishnoi and justice Suman Shyam, government counsel D Nath submitted an affidavit detailing the compensation paid to the families who are residents of Batadrava.

The counsel added that ₹2.5 lakh has also been sanctioned as compensation to the family of Safikul Islam, a fish seller, whose alleged death in police custody, led a mob to attack the Batadrava police station who in turn set it ablaze on May 21, 2022.

The court was informed that Islam’s family will be paid the compensation once they produce a next of kin certificate.

The five families’ houses were razed on May 22, 2022, by the Nagaon district administration as they were illegal settlements and land records of the same were prepared using forged documents.

The residents were not given any prior intimation or notices before the demolitions.

The Assam government’s affidavit submitted in court on Wednesday mentioned that the five families have been compensated.

While ₹10 lakh each were paid for two concrete houses, ₹2.5 lakh each were paid for four ‘kuccha’ houses.

Responding to the court’s observation on the action taken against the erring officials who oversaw the demolition, the government counsel sought four weeks’ time to file a reply to which the bench agreed.