Perundurai SIPCOT landowners seek compensation as per High Court order
Members of the Perundurai SIPCOT Affected People Welfare Association have urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to ensure compensation for 350 acres acquired in 1991 for the Perundurai SIPCOT project, in line with a Madras High Court order.
The members submitted a petition through Minister for Housing, Prohibition, and Excise, S. Muthusamy, during the CM's visit to Perundurai on Wednesday.
The petition said the State government had acquired 2,709 acres from farmers in Ingur and Perundurai villages three decades ago to establish the SIPCOT Industrial Growth Centre. While 2,350 acres were acquired through direct purchase, the remaining 350 acres were acquired under the Land Acquisition Act of 1894 through an Award, due to procedural hurdles.
For directly purchased land, the compensation paid was ₹60,000 to ₹1.20 lakh per acre in Ingur and ₹1.50 lakh to ₹2 lakh per acre in Perundurai. However, for land acquired through the Award, only ₹29,700 per acre in Ingur and ₹34,100 per acre in Perundurai was paid, the amount deposited in court based on government valuation.
Challenging this disparity, affected farmers filed eight cases. The district court ruled in favour of the farmers, ordering enhanced compensation ranging from ₹1.80 lakh to ₹2.50 lakh per acre for about 69 acres. The government and SIPCOT appealed, but the Madras High Court upheld the lower court's ruling in its final verdict on March 6, 2012, directing payment of the revised amounts.
The petition alleged that even after the High Court verdict, SIPCOT had not fully disbursed the compensation. In several other cases, it said, the government and SIPCOT delayed proceedings by not filing responses, leaving many claims pending. Some farmers, it added, were unable to pursue legal remedies due to lack of documents, award copies, or awareness, or because of expired deadlines.
Citing Section 28A of the Land Acquisition Act of 1894, the association urged the government to re-determine the compensation, ₹2.50 lakh per acre as base land value, plus 30% solatium, 12% additional market value, and 15% interest as per the court order. The revised compensation should be formalised through a Government Order and distributed to all affected farmers, the petition said.
The petition also highlighted that SIPCOT currently leased land at ₹81 lakh per acre for industrial purposes and ₹1.62 crore for commercial use. Over 100 families, it said, lost their livelihood without receiving compensation and suffered for three decades. The association requested the CM's immediate intervention to resolve the issue.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
T.N. CM Stalin flags off 120 new low-floor electric buses in Chennai
Chennai got its first fleet of low-floor electric buses with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin flagging off 120 vehicles from the Metropolitan Transport Corporation's (MTC) Vyasarpadi depot on Monday (June 30, 2025). Each bus, when fully charged one-time, can travel up to 200 kilometres, and features 39 seats with seat belts, CCTV cameras, and LED displays to provide information on bus stops. The Chief Minister also inaugurated the MTC's upgraded electric bus depot at Vyasarpadi at a cost of ₹47.50 crore. The 120 new e-buses are worth ₹207.90 crore. The initiative was taken up under the Chennai City Partnership Programme, Chennai Sustainable Urban Services Programme, with support from the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) K. Phanindra Reddy said in a bid to reduce environmental pollution in Chennai, the MTC, in the first phase, will roll out 625 new low-floor electric buses at a total cost of ₹697 crore. On average, each bus that runs on diesel emits 755 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) for a kilometre. Electric buses would help in reducing CO2 emissions and improve the quality of air to a large extent, he said at an event held at the Vyasarpadi depot. Measures were being taken to operate these new electric buses from depots at Vyasarpadi, Perumbakkam, Poonamallee, Central, and Tondiarpet 1, he said. Work to establish infrastructure, including for charging, has been taken up at the depots. In the first phase, the required infrastructure to maintain and operate 120 buses from the Vyasarpadi depot was taken up. Special features He said one of the special features of these buses is that when charged one-time, it can travel for 200 kilometres. The buses are wheelchair accessible, with a ramp and secure anchorage points. Each bus is equipped with CCTV cameras, mobile phone charging points, and emergency alarms. The 120 buses, which were flagged off, will be operated on 11 routes. This includes 20 buses from Broadway to Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT)-Kilambakkam terminus (route number 18A), 20 buses from Mahakavi Bharathiyar Nagar to KCBT-Kilambakkam bus terminus (170TX), 10 buses from Vallalar Nagar to Poonamallee (37), 10 buses from Mahakavi Bharathiyar Nagar to Koyambedu (46G) and 10 from Perambur to Manali (164E). Other routes included round trip to Kaviarasu Kannadhasan Nagar and from Thiru vi ka Nagar to Guindy Thiru vi ka Industrial Estate. Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P.K. Sekarbabu, and officials participated.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Can TN raise a toast with local wines?
Amid the raging debate over toddy tapping in Tamil Nadu, a business idea that remains untapped is the state's potential to manufacture alcoholic beverages on the lines of Goa's feni as well as native varieties of wine. The state is among the frontrunners in the cultivation of grapes (third largest in India) and cashew (fifth largest), the raw material required for the production of such alcoholic beverages. Take for instance, the Muscat Hamburg, popularly known as 'Cumbum Panneer Thratchai'. Grown in Theni, Dindigul and Coimbatore districts, the grapes record a minimum yield of 2.5 lakh tonnes per annum. While Theni dominates with 70% of total production, Dindigul and Coimbatore share 20% and 10% of the yield, respectively. K Mukundan, president, Surulipatti Grapes Growers Association said Tamil Nadu's lone winery at Cumbum relies significantly on the output of vineyards. "We cater to this winery which procures our locally grown grapes to make wine. One of the largest wine manufacturers in Maharashtra also sources our Muscat Hamburg grapes. What we are eyeing is production at scale in our state to target markets outside Tamil Nadu, domestic and overseas," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ukraine: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search Ads Search Now Undo Mukundan emphasises that the Cumbum Panneer Thratchai, a Geographical Indication (GI) tagged agricultural product, is a one of its kind grape variety that contains 50% of water. About 500 ml of juice can be extracted from one kilogram of the grape variety. "Its export potential for winemaking is substantial in view of the international demand. In the long run, we could test the overseas market for vintage wines (made through fermentation and aging)," he added. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai So, where can the govt help? Initiating farmers into producing value added products and establishing quality control centres could be a start point. "Theni is home to Sipcot's food park and a dedicated space can be earmarked for wineries on the lines of Maharashtra. Farmer producer companies can be trained and assisted to set up manufacturing units. Licenses must be given for new wineries targeting markets outside Tamil Nadu. This will be a win-win situation for farmers and wineries as the latter procure grapes locally at competitive prices, which will in turn benefit farmers. As scope for wine production booms, it will prompt more farmers to enhance area under grape cultivation," he added. There's another opportunity waiting to be leveraged in the northern districts of TN. Cashew apples, when separated from cashew nuts are usually discarded in fields or repurposed as cattle feed. But the greater incentive might be in turning these apples into raw materials to make a feni-like alcoholic beverage. By virtue of the GI tag certification, only liquor made using cashew apples within Goa can be called 'feni'. Data from the TN agriculture department shows cashew was grown in 83,556 hectares during 2023-24. Of this, the cashew hub of Cuddalore (29,342 Ha) and its neighbours Ariyalur (30,537 Ha) and Villupuram (3,214 Ha) account for 75% of its total production. Cuddalore has an average yield of 470 kg of cashew nuts per hectare, but, five times of its volume of cashew apple goes waste. Approximately 69,000 tonnes of cashew apple gets discarded in the district itself every year. Around 300 ml of juice can be extracted from one kilogram of cashew apple, according to cashew industry sources. All India Cashew Association general secretary Ramakrishnan M said, cashew apples can be used to make feni-like drinks. "The challenge is obtaining a license to manufacture alcoholic products. The demand is considerable and Puducherry can be a launchpad for sale," he added. N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research said, India's wine industry, while still small in overall volume, is growing steadily. Wine currently accounts for 2% of India's alcoholic beverage consumption. In 2023, India exported around $2.9 million worth of still wine and an additional $1.6 million of sparkling wine, translating to approximately 3,30,777 litres. "This upward trend in production and exports signals both increased domestic interest and emerging international demand. The success of pioneers such as Sula has shown that Indian viticulture, with sufficient investment and branding, can create products of both quality and global appeal. With creative branding and state backing, a distinctive TN cashew spirit could become a regional signature," he said. The tailwinds from neighbouring states are encouraging. Three years ago, the amended Kerala Small Scale Winery Rules 2022 facilitated the production of low-strength liquor from selected agricultural items like fruits. A year later, Goa's excise department said it was writing to other states to make feni available there for sale, and also make it available at all duty-free shops. When contacted, a senior official with the state agriculture department said that the demand for manufacturing wines and feni-like beverages involves policy decisions. However, demands of the stakeholders in the farming sector will be examined, the official added.
The Hindu
18 hours ago
- The Hindu
In Tamil Nadu politics, too many players waiting in the wings
Though every election is important, the 2026 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu are especially crucial, as they are likely to determine the future of many political parties in the State, including of the AIADMK, which is one of the two major Dravidian forces. Bipolarity in Tamil Nadu politics has traditionally kept the AIADMK and its rival, the DMK, alive and relevant, regardless of electoral outcomes. However, the losing party in 2026 may struggle to stay afloat, since many others are waiting in the wings. The DMK, led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, has managed to hold its alliance together and maintain a relatively stable front since 2017. Its partners — the Left parties and the Congress — have little choice but to stick with the DMK because of ideological and strategic reasons. The presence of the BJP prevents them from switching sides or experimenting with other alliances. The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), led by Thol. Thirumavalavan, remains in the DMK-led alliance not only because of its opposition to the BJP, but also because any alliance that includes the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) is unacceptable to it. Mr. Stalin has already started touring districts under the slogan 'Tamil Nadu under one front,' with the goal of enrolling 2 crore members. On the other hand, the AIADMK-led alliance remains in disarray. It is grappling with multiple issues, particularly of power-sharing after the elections. The BJP, driven by the single-minded agenda of breaking new ground in Tamil Nadu, often acts as if it leads the alliance and tries to dictate terms to the AIADMK. This has caused a lot of bitterness among the AIADMK rank and file. The PMK, a potential ally, is entangled in a family feud between its founder, S. Ramadoss, and his son Anbumani Ramadoss; this has created uncertainty about its political direction. No amount of persuasion has stopped Dr. Ramadoss from talking about internal disputes in public and projecting his son as his arch rival. Even if reconciliation occurs, the damage may be irreparable, as the war of words has already eroded unity in the second tier of leadership. As for the AIADMK, though former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami is under pressure to forge a strong alliance to take on the DMK, he remains indecisive about reconciling with the faction led by another former Chief Minister, O. Panneerselvam. In his calculations, V.K. Sasikala, the close aide of the late J. Jayalalithaa, and T.T.V. Dhinakaran, who leads his own party, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, do not seem to count. Mr. Palaniswami overlooks the fact that these factions still retain some support among a particular community in Tamil Nadu, even if that support is difficult to quantify. Both the AIADMK and the BJP are hoping that actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) will join them, although there have been no overtures from Mr. Vijay's side. Mr. Vijay aims to project himself as an alternative to the traditional political parties in Tamil Nadu. However, as of now, his party is no match to the DMK or the AIADMK in terms of organisational strength and financial clout. Mr. Vijay may garner a share of the vote, but is unlikely to emerge as a major challenge to either Dravidian party. While he is still young in politics, Mr. Vijay may fade into irrelevance if he fails to play his cards wisely. Another player is Seeman, the leader of the Naam Tamizhar Katchi, who has refused to align with any party. Seeking to mobilise voters on the Tamil nationalist plank, his party crossed the 8% vote share in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and now qualifies as a recognised State party under the Election Commission of India's guidelines. Mr. Seeman seems determined to fight the Assembly elections on his own, but he may find it difficult to stay relevant unless he wins seats. The overcrowded political landscape poses a serious challenge to both the DMK and AIADMK. Neither can afford to lose these elections. The DMK is attempting to capitalise on its record of fulfilling electoral promises and maintaining a cohesive alliance. The AIADMK, once a formidable force, has not yet mobilised effectively to take advantage of the anti-incumbency factor that even the best performing governments face. It is unclear whether anti-incumbency will benefit the AIADMK or Mr. Vijay. Even if Mr. Vijay succeeds, that may help the DMK, as it will prevent the AIADMK from gaining the edge that it desperately needs.
