Goa HC orders interest recovery for Tillari compensation delays

The Bombay High Court at Goa has ordered the state's chief secretary to recover Rs 9.3 lakh in interest from 12 government officials. This decision is linked to delays in compensation payments for land acquisition related to the Tillari dam project from 2013. The court found "gross delays" in distributing the compensation and demanded a report by October 30 on the recovery efforts. The chief secretary tried to cancel this order, citing that some officials have retired or passed away. He argued that administrative challenges made it hard for them to keep track of pending payments. The judges, Justices Valmiki Menezes and Nivedita Mehta, rejected this reasoning. They emphasized that the intended recovery is important because citizens have suffered due to these delays. The court noted that the compensation needed to be paid by June 30, 2013, and that the state is now responsible for covering both the compensation and interest, impacting public funds. In April 2024, the court had already tasked the finance secretary with identifying the officials liable for the delay. The court's focus continues to be on holding individuals accountable to alleviate the financial burden on the state.