More heartache for Maruti: Haryana asks it to pay Rs235 cr as farmer compensation

Maruti Suzuki's woes at Manesar are piling up with the Haryana government asking the company to pay ₹235 crore to HSIIDC as enhanced compensation to farmers for land acquisition under a Supreme Court order.

Haryana State Industries and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), in a notice issued on June 25, warned the company that if it did not deposit the amount in three months, the land allotted for the Manesar plant 'shall become liable for resumption and further action would be taken'.

According to HSIIDC, the notice was issued as the firm did not respond to an earlier communication in March 2012. Divya Kamal, DGM (estate), HSIIDC, IMT-Manesar, who issued the notice, said a team of top management of the company had already met chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and HSIIDC managing director Rajeev Arora.

'The (company) representatives were told to deposit the amount, as it had been ordered by the Supreme Court to pay as enhancement to the farmers,' Kamal told PTI. On being contacted, the MSI spokesperson declined to comment. In the first notice issued in March, HSIIDC said: 'You are required to deposit a sum of ₹235, 40, 26, 584 (inclusive of interest up to April 30, 2012 subject to mistake and bona fide mistake in calculation) calculated at ₹1,222 per square
metre within a period 30 days from the date of issue of this demand notice (sic).'

The second notice issued on June 25 said: 'It has been observed that the company has neither paid the full amount nor the installment due on April 30, 2012. This act on your part is clear violations of terms and conditions of allotment and calls for initiating appropriate proceedings (sic).'

The notice further said that in the event of non-payment of the dues within the stipulated time, the 'aforesaid plot shall become liable for resumption and further action would be taken as per the terms and condition of the allotment/agreement, without issuance of any further notice in this regard.'

Maruti Suzuki has 600 acres in Manesar where it has two car manufacturing plants. A third plant is under-construction. 'If they (MSI) are getting delayed (in depositing the amount), interest is accumulating day by day,' Kamal said. HSIIDC had given MSI the option to make the payment in five half-yearly installments along with the interest at 11% on the unpaid amount.

MSI had last week announced a lockout of its plant at Manesar due to violence, in which one senior executive was killed and 100 others were injured.

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