THE HON’BLE MR JUSTICE L. NARASIMHA REDDY Writ Petition Nos.1142 of 2008 & 883 of 2009 COMMON ORDER: The 1st respondent acquired fairy large extent of land in and around Ramagundam of Karimnagar District, in the year 1977, for establishing a Thermal Power Station. Since villages together were uprooted, a commitment was given on behalf of the respondents that apart from paying compensation, the persons, whose land was acquired, or their dependants, will be provided employment. Appointments were also made to certain extent. The petitioners contend that in the year 1988, respondents 1 to 3 have agreed to appoint 225 land oustees, but by 1992, only 141 persons were recruited. The petitioners state that as part of its obligation towards oustees, the 3rd respondent issued notification dated 14.06.2001 proposing to fill 20 vacancies of attenders, but hardly before any further steps were taken, the notification was withdrawn. It is in this background that the petitioners seek a declaration to the effect that the action of the respondents in not providing employment to the semi-skilled and unskilled categories and rehabilitation to the land oustees of 17 villages of Kamanpur and Ramagundam of Karimnagar District, as illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional and to direct them to provide employment to the land oustees. On behalf of the respondents, a counter-affidavit is filed. It is stated that a scheme was evolved for providing employment to as many oustees as possible. The issuance of notification is admitted. It is, however, stated that before any further steps were taken, the Central Government has fixed the ratio of manpower and on verification, it emerged that the NTPC unit at Ramagundam, has excess staff. They further submit that in the near future as and when vacancies arise, the case of the eligible persons would be considered. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned counsel for the respondents. As many as 17 villages were displaced, on account of the establishment of a Thermal Power Station at Ramagundam. Compensation, no doubt, was paid to the owners of the land. However, the enormous migration of such a large number of people, without resources was certainly a big social and human problem. Realizing this, the respondents have evolved a scheme for providing employment in semi-skilled and unskilled categories to the land oustees or their children. The number of oustees was naturally big and all of them, could not be accommodated at a time. The situation was reviewed thoroughly in the year 1988 with the participation of representatives of Management and Trade Unions. It was agreed that 125 workers would be provided employment, and out of them, 100 would be absorbed, by the end of 1990. Another commitment was to the effect that, if any further vacancies arise, they would be allocated to land oustees alone. However, not a single person was appointed for more than a decade. It was only in the year 2001 that a notification was issued, proposing to select and appoint 20 persons, as attenders, from the category of land oustees. Even this did not fructify and the notification was withdrawn, on the pretext that the manpower exceeded the norms stipulated by the Government. Whatever may have been the circumstances under which the respondents stopped recruitment process in the year 2001, it is difficult to imagine that the same position continued, even after one decade. The commitment, which emerged in the joint meeting of the representatives of Management and Trade Unions, is remaining unimplemented for the past more than two decades. Such a situation cannot be countenanced in a public sector undertaking for whose benefit villages together were uprooted. Hence, the writ petitions are allowed, and the respondents are directed to take necessary steps to implement the resolution passed on 20.09.1988 and to fill the vacancies mentioned therein within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. There shall be no order as to costs. _______________________ L.NARASIMHA REDDY, J Dt:25.08.2011 GJ