ANJU Vs. NATIONAL THERMAL POWER CORPORATION

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners in this case claim to be ex-agriculturists and residents of Village Jajru in the Tehsil Ballabgarh, District Faridabad in the State of Haryana. They claim that they were agriculturists by profession and that different pieces of their agricultural land has been acquired by the state of Haryana under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. According to the petitioners, this land was acquired in the year 1996 for construction of a thermal power station by the respondent herein. It is submitted that as a result of this acquisition of land, the petitioners lost their employment. In recognition of their plight, officers of the respondent assured the petitioners that at least one member of the family whose land has been acquired, shall be adjusted in service with the respondent on permanent basis. Such an appointment was given to land owners at Village Neemka of Tehsil Ballabgarh in District Faridabad. The land was earlier acquired by the respondent while no such appointment was made in respect of the land owners of Village Jajru. The petitioners have contended that they made a representation in this behalf on 4th April, 1999 to the National Thermal Power Corporation, respondent herein.

(2.) The petitioners have placed reliance on a letter dated 14th September, 1989 to submit that it was the policy of the government while acquiring agricultural land for the respondent, to provide a job to atleast one member of the family whose land is acquired. Alleging that the power station at Ballabhgarh became fully operative in 2003, yet the respondent has failed to abide by the assurances to the petitioners or heed their representation. Consequently, the petitioners have filed the present writ petition seeking the following prayers:-

(3.) The petitioners have also contended that the head office of the respondent is at Delhi and that the settlement between the petitioners and the respondent took place at Delhi when a large delegation of the land owners had reached the office of the respondent at Delhi.