Tara villagers have complained to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and PWD minister Chandrakant Patil, about PWD officials who are not ready to re-measure and revaluate their properties despite many requests.

The four-laning of NH-17 is proving to be controversial, as a villager's RTI application has found that apart from issues regarding former minister Narayan Rane's bungalow, PWD officials who had measured some villagers' houses three times, had increased the size of some from 300 sq ft to 1,400 sq ft. The Pen deputy collector also wrote to PWD officials regarding revaluation, but they haven't responded. Around 30 villagers have received compensation far less than what they should get for their properties.



Harshal Teje, one of the villagers. Pics/Datta Kumbhar

Deputy collector ignored

Deputy collector Pratima Pudalwad wrote to PWD officials twice. Pudalwad said, "We are facing problems only with Tara village, as the PWD officials created many problems. I issued orders twice for the revaluation of the properties of these villagers, as some of them got a lot of compensation despite having small houses, and some of them have received nothing. This happened because PWD officials took three different measurements of the same house."

'Will protest injustice'

Villager are ready to protest if they don't receive the compensation they are entitled to as per the areas of their houses. A villager, Harshal Teje said, "We are running from pillar-to-post to get our payment. They think we are poor and won't take any action against the injustice that happened to us. But we will fight to get the payment which we deserve."

He added, "We have recently written to CM Fadnavis and PWD minister Patil asking them to take action. We will protest against the injustice that we are facing because of PWD officials." He said they will wait for a couple of weeks to see whether the CM or Patil take action.

The secretary of Patil said, "We haven't received any letter so far. May we will get it on Monday and then Sir will decide the action."

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