Land Acquisition Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Land acquisition has been an integral part of any infrastructure project and has also proved to be a major bottleneck in execution of projects. The delay in land acquisition resulted in timely completion of the projects thereby causing... more

Land acquisition has been an integral part of any infrastructure project and has also proved to be a major bottleneck in execution of projects. The delay in land acquisition resulted in timely completion of the projects thereby causing cost over runs and delay in deriving benefits of the projects. Various Acts like The National Highways Act, The Metro Railways Act, and The Railways Act was amended to included land acquisition provisions with liberal compensation package including rehabilitation and resettlement benefits to the persons whose land is to be acquired. The amendment to The Railway Act is called the Railway (Amendment) Act 2008. This paper calls for introspection and improvement to the strategies adopted for smooth, expeditious and hassle free land acquisition for Railway Project.

Helpful in land acquisitions and transfers

The Indian state has used the colonial Land Acquisition Act (LAA 1894) for acquiring land even without people's consent in the name of 'public purpose' and on payment of compensation, until it got repealed by the new LARR 2013. The LAA... more

The Indian state has used the colonial Land Acquisition Act (LAA 1894) for acquiring land even without people's consent in the name of 'public purpose' and on payment of compensation, until it got repealed by the new LARR 2013. The LAA 1894 is an expression of the concept of 'eminent domain' and draws its sustenance from the sovereignty of the state. The understanding of sovereignty and to what extent the sovereign power of the state can use the concept of 'eminent domain' in the context of land acquisition remains a contentious issue. This article examines the notion of sovereignty and use/misuse of the 'eminent domain' in the context of land acquisition in India. How does the inter-relationship between sovereignty and 'eminent domain' be understood according to the LAA 1894 and the LARR 2013 (new Land Act, 2013) has been discussed.

Indian mega cities are witnessing significant changes in land use in their peri urban areas due to location of large infrastructure and development projects like airports, special economic zones, information technology parks, real estate... more

Indian mega cities are witnessing significant changes in land use in their peri urban areas due to location of large infrastructure and development projects like airports, special economic zones, information technology parks, real estate ventures, ring roads etc. Location of such projects and
consequent land acquisition from rural farmers have serious impacts on vegetable cultivation and their livelihood security in the peri urban areas. The present papers deals with land acquisition for outer ring road, a 159-km long 8-lane express highway, around Hyderabad city and its impact on loss of vegetable cultivation. Based on secondary and primary data, the study brings out that the loss of land had an adverse impact on the extent of vegetable cultivation and the economic security of the rural folks. Though the income from vegetable cultivation was not very high, they were earning incomes regularly from this activity and were able to support their families including children’s education, clearing small debts, meeting household expenses etc. Loss of such regular income has adversely affected their livelihood security. With the loss
of land, they have also lost income from cattle rearing and dairying. Many of them could not cultivate their remaining lands as the massive new road separated them with reduced access.

The detail Report on Land Acquisition for Industrial purposes, the social impact of Land Acquisition and Reasons responsible for slow development pattern. Report concludes policy measures that will improve the process of development with... more

The detail Report on Land Acquisition for Industrial purposes, the social impact of Land Acquisition and Reasons responsible for slow development pattern. Report concludes policy measures that will improve the process of development with fair compensation to land owners.

My research paper containing detailed study of Law, Rules & Notifications etc. prevalent in Pakistan regarding Land Acquisition and Recommendations for change in order to tune it to present times.

Infrastructure development often has an impact on land use changes. This study aims to map the impact of Balige bypass road construction on land use changes and analyze its suitability with spatial planning. The research method was... more

Infrastructure development often has an impact on land use changes. This study aims to map the impact of Balige bypass road construction on land use changes and analyze its suitability with spatial planning. The research method was carried out through descriptive qualitative with a spatial approach. The data includes Sentinel images for 2017 and 2021, maps of the Regional Spatial Plan (RTRW) and interviews with government officials. Image analysis is carried out visually, while mapping of land use changes is carried out through overlaying land use maps for 2017 and 2021 and to map the suitability of the RTRW, overlaying land use maps with the RTRW. The results of the analysis show that after the road construction there was a change in land use from rice fields to settlements covering an area of 103.27 Ha. Meanwhile, an analysis of the RTRW shows that there is a mismatch in the use of a land area of 47.2 Ha. This study shows that the use of remote sensing through sentinel imagery and...

Ee Chong Pang & Ors v. The Land Administrator of the District of Alor Gajah & Anor is a landmark case developed as a reference for the State Authority, whether it is mandatory or not, to issue a notice in reference to Form A under Section... more

Ee Chong Pang & Ors v. The Land Administrator of the District of Alor Gajah & Anor is a landmark case developed as a reference for the State Authority, whether it is mandatory or not, to issue a notice in reference to Form A under Section 4 of the LAA for mandatory land acquisition procedure. One major legal issue that has been vitally addressed in this case is whether the State Authority has acted within its statutory rights to proceed to issue a notice in Form D under section 8 of the LAA, without firstly issuing Form A as required under section 4 of the same Act. This case is crucial in determining whether the practice by the State Authority in acquiring lands owned by the public is according to the law and within its authorised power under the LAA.

For decades land, forests, water and other natural resources are not free from public debates and academic discourses due to several reasons. In India this debate has taken different forms in different places based on the specific... more

For decades land, forests, water and other natural resources are not free from public debates and academic discourses due to several reasons. In India this debate has taken different forms in different places based on the specific character of the locality. There has been, particularly in the neo-liberalisation era, a noticeable shift both in the tenor and the content of the debate. While looking at the history of Adivasi land alienation, there has been several interconnections between the multiple characteristics of post independent neo-capitalistic economics and the pre-independent colonial imperialism – both only aimed at taking away the land from the community with the consolidation of power centres or 'eminent domain,' at the cost of the community itself. This ethnographic paper gradually discusses the sociology of land debate from pre-colonial period to present. It builds the argument that why land reforms failed in India at large and specifically in the context of Adivasi land rights. To understand the issue of Adivasi land alienation, the case of Mainpat hills in Surguja district of Chhattisgarh is taken to study in detail, where Vedanta Resources Plc is currently engaged in mining bauxite at the cost of the communities. In this paper, I discuss how the State initiated public hearing is applied as a strategic tool to construct 'consent' by flouting laws and dismissing people's dissent. The last two sections of the paper capture the larger impact of land acquisition, land alienation and the socio-ethnic polity of Adivasi depeasantisation. In these Adivasi hotbeds, people have lost their faith in State and it's democratic systems, due to excessive focus on alien patterns of development. Here land alienation and depeasantisation are interconnected aspects which in itself is a gross violation of human rights of Adivasi people not only in Mainpat but at large across the length and breadth of the state. It has changed the socio-cultural, economic and political dynamics of the community itself.

It is debatable that the Nigerian Land Use Act of 1978 has not absolutely transferred ownership of land to the Governor of states in Nigeria. It is argued that the citizens have no rights or interest over the land beyond their... more

It is debatable that the Nigerian Land Use Act of 1978
has not absolutely transferred ownership of land to the Governor
of states in Nigeria. It is argued that the citizens have no rights or
interest over the land beyond their occupation because such
rights or interest has been taken over by the virtue of section 1 of
the Land Use Act, which provides that subject to the provisions
of the Act, lands in each State of the Federation is vested in the
Governor of that State and such land shall be held in trust and
administered for the use and common benefits of all Nigerians.
No doubt, the procedure for compulsory acquisition requires
adequate notice to be given to the owner, compensation to be
paid and the acquisition must be for “public purpose”. This
article seeks to dwell on the valuation for compensation aspect of
the three requirements for compulsory acquisition. The data for
this write up is basically secondary data source. Findings show
the truism that current provisions of the Act cannot guarantee
adequate compensation. It therefore, recommends an amendment
to the present Land Use Act of Nigeria to reflect realities as
regard ownership and transparent methods of assessment for
compensation.

The land acquisition instead of market mechanism is acknowledged as an essential cause of disputes among affected groups namely farmers, investors, and governments. Urban land use policy analysis has grown deeper and broader in the past... more

The land acquisition instead of market mechanism is acknowledged as an essential cause of disputes among affected groups namely farmers, investors, and governments. Urban land use policy analysis has grown deeper and broader in the past twenty years, and a substantial body of' knowledge stands ready to be utilized by the developing nations as they enter this period of urbanization. The various types of land acquisition policies followed across various countries were discussed in this paper. It is observed that a substantial analytic and comparative contribution which can make possible kind of advance planning that may avoid the ill effects of misuse of' urban land.

B.K. Roy Burman (1922-2012) studied Anthropology at the University of Calcutta and like Surajit Sinha he was also trained by T.C.Das Later he was advisor to many governmental committees for the welfare of the scheduled tribes in India. In... more

B.K. Roy Burman (1922-2012) studied Anthropology at the University of Calcutta and like Surajit Sinha he was also trained by T.C.Das Later he was advisor to many governmental committees for the welfare of the scheduled tribes in India.
In 1960 B.K.Roy Burman as Assistant Commissioner for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Government of India got interested in undertaking an anthropological study on the problems of the tribal and other populations who were displaced by the establishment of the huge public sector steel factory at Rourkela in Orissa. On his suggestion the study of the ‘Social Processes in the Industrialization of Rourkela’ was taken up as a project for being investigated by the Census Organization. The study was carried out by a team under the leadership of Roy Burman and the results were published by him under the Monograph Series of the Census of India, 1961. It is not only the first social impact assessment research on industrialisation in India but one of the pioneering studies on development caused displacement and resettlement at the global level.

Taking possession of private land for ‘public purpose’ by the eminent domain of the state is a global phenomenon but it dispossesses and marginalizes the people at the local level. The researchers have mainly dealt with this phenomenon... more

Taking possession of private land for ‘public purpose’ by the eminent domain of the state is a global phenomenon but it dispossesses and marginalizes the people at the local level. The researchers have mainly dealt with this phenomenon either from the field or from the archive. In this book, the author has studied the observable fact of land grab or acquisition for industries in a particular locale of the West Bengal state in India by combining the field and archive in a unique mode through a multisited ethnographic ‘journey’. Unlike traditional anthropological ethnographies of single ‘tribes’ or ‘multi-caste villages’, this vertical ethnographic voyage of the author led him to come across a group of dispossessed peasants in the villages, a bunch of files in the district land acquisition department, a rich text of proceedings in the West Bengal Assembly library, the growing global literature on land grab, and also to reflect on his dialogues with the elected members of the parliamentary standing committee at New Delhi. Ethnography, for the author was the road map, which guided his journey in these apparently separate existential domains of land acquisition and throws new light on how development policies are made, and how they failed, and what were the lessons learnt. The book should be read not only by the students and researchers on land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation, but also by the activists, politicians, and policymakers in India and abroad.

Land and resource-related rights are of fundamental importance to indigenous peoples for a number of reasons, including religious significance, self-determination, identity, and economic factors. Land is a prime economic asset of... more

Land and resource-related rights are of fundamental importance to indigenous peoples for a number of reasons, including religious significance, self-determination, identity, and economic factors. Land is a prime economic asset of indigenous peoples. The majority of indigenous peoples live in forest areas, depend on agriculture for living and collect minor forest produces to fulfill their subsistence needs. Land and it's systems attain much importance in their life, which is a network of human relationship, pertaining to the ownership and harmonious relationship with land. This has everywhere been major factor determining the socioeconomic and political order. Ownership of land in case of Scheduled Tribe enhances their social status. Tribals use their land for three purposes, firstly it is used as the source of food gathering and hunting, secondly it is used as a place to reside and lastly to cultivate. In the year 1920, firstly The Indian Forest Act was passed thereby turning all Adivasi forest land as government owned. This delegitimised the traditional community ownership systems in Adivasi (tribal) societies. This paper attempts to analyse the different aspects of land rights among the Adivasis of Odisha. Despite elaborate provisions in the Indian constitution and other laws more than 15 percent of Adivasis have been displaced without any comprehensive rehabilitation efforts.

The activities of multinational companies have affected the livelihood of smallholder farmer in the Pru East, though a lot of research work has been done on large scale land acquisition but this study focus on how it affects livelihood... more

The activities of multinational companies have affected the livelihood of smallholder farmer in the Pru East, though a lot of research work has been done on large scale land acquisition but this study focus on how it affects livelihood asset of smallholder farmers in the Pru East District. Over the past ten years, the Government of Ghana have leased out large tracts of land for investors, mainly foreign investors. Survey research approach was used for the study. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed and a sample size of 332 households was used for the study. The study used five indicators of the Livelihood Effect Index (LEI) espoused by Downing et al., (2001) to determine the effects of large-scale land acquisition on the livelihood of smallholder farming households. Large scale land acquisition has a significant positive moderate effect on the employment, healthcare and food security but, has a significant negative high effect on income levels of smallholder farming households. However, large scale land acquisition has no significant effect on the nutritional status of farming households in the Pru East district of the Bono East region. Kobre and Kadue communities with an LEI of 0.53 suggests that livelihoods of farming households in these two communities are the most effected with large scale land acquisition. The study also recommends that MMDAs must formulate by-laws to ensure that large scale land investors employ people from the host communities of the projects.

The expansion of oil palm plantations in Papua province, Indonesia, involves the conversion of forests, among other land types in the landscapes, which are a source of clan members' livelihoods. The way in which this expansion occurs... more

The expansion of oil palm plantations in Papua province, Indonesia, involves the conversion of forests, among other land types in the landscapes, which are a source of clan members' livelihoods. The way in which this expansion occurs makes it necessary to understand the factors associated with why companies look for frontier lands and what externalities are generated during both the land acquisition and plantation development periods. Using a spatial analysis of the concession areas, along with data from household surveys of each clan from the Auyu, Mandobo, and Marind tribes who release land to companies, we find that investors are motivated to profit from timber harvested from the clearing of lands for plantations, activity that is facilitated by the local government. Land acquisition and plantation development have resulted in externalities to indigenous landowners in the form of time and money lost in a series of meetings and consultations involving clan members and traditional elders. Other externalities include the reduced welfare of people due to loss of livelihoods, and impacts on food security.

In this article I have questioned the status of the new land acquisition law of India.

This is the second in a series of land studies for northern Uganda, whose core objective is to inform the Plan for Recovery and Development of Northern Uganda (PRDP) and the National Land Policy. It builds on the work of the first phase... more

This is the second in a series of land studies for northern Uganda, whose core objective
is to inform the Plan for Recovery and Development of Northern Uganda (PRDP) and
the National Land Policy. It builds on the work of the first phase conducted in Teso
region to present a more quantitative analysis of trends on disputes and claims on land
before displacement, during displacement and emerging trends or occurrences on
return for Acholi and Lango sub-regions.
The key findings in the Teso study are that there is a high level of distrust towards the
Central Government’s intentions toward land; customary tenure has evolved and
adapted to changing circumstances but remains to be seen as a legitimate form of
tenure; there was not a high prevalence of land disputes; the statutory and customary
institutional framework for land administration and justice has been severely weakened;
and vulnerable groups such as women and children have been marginalized during the
return process. However, the Teso region has been one of the most secure regions
during the conflict and has experienced very short periods of displacement and as such
does not provide a good marker for the situation in the rest of northern Uganda. This is
exemplified by the fact that though land conflict prevalence was extremely low in Teso
region, it is high in the Lango and Acholi regions.
The study is premised on the fact that the issue of land in return (restitution and
resettlement) processes has not been adequately dealt with in the National Land Policy
and various policies regarding IDP return in Northern Uganda. Land is a critical element
in peace building and economic reconstruction in post- conflict situations; relevant
issues must be understood and given appropriate priority for stabilization. The PRDP
should prioritise the protection of land rights and re-establishment of production
relations on land to bridge the poverty gap, which has been widening since 1997,
between war-affected areas (northern Uganda) and the rest of the country.

This study focuses on the description of the Congolese land system after formal contact with Western civilization. The contact between the western and Congolese civilizations intervened with the explorations. Moreover, it would have been... more

This study focuses on the description of the Congolese land system after formal contact with Western civilization. The contact between the western and Congolese civilizations intervened with the explorations. Moreover, it would have been necessary to wait for the constitution of the Independent State of the Congo to be able to formally speak of a contact of the civilizations. Indeed, the contact between the explorer and the native is not significant at this time. Moreover, land management did not fit into the objectives of these adventurers. Land management has proven to be indispensable with the advent of colonization on Congolese territory. During colonization, land management took into account the rights of indigenous peoples by devoting several categories of land. Moreover, after its accession to international sovereignty through its Independence, the young Congolese state began a land reform by domanialising all the lands. This, however, was even described as expropriation.

Expropriation of farmland by the state is an emerging global phenomenon,although in Indian Anthropology studies combining fieldwork and archivaldata on land grab by the government are rare. The combination of the anthropological fieldwork... more

Expropriation of farmland by the state is an emerging global phenomenon,although in Indian Anthropology studies combining fieldwork and archivaldata on land grab by the government are rare. The combination of the anthropological fieldwork with data collected from the archives, like the departmental files and the assembly proceedings is a new research challenge for the anthropologists in India. This article is a modest attempt towards meeting the challenge by combining the various aspects of land expropriation with a specific case of peasant resistance in West Bengal in India. The data on the large-scale aspects on the problem were procured from the archives in the state legislative assembly and land acquisition departmental files while the micro-level data has been collected by anthropological fieldwork. The study revealed the wide difference between the policy makers and the people affected by governmental land expropriation.

In India, urban land management is a state subject and each state has their own urban land supply policy. The aim of research paper is to identify the best land management techniques in India based on performance indicators and to develop... more

In India, urban land management is a state subject and each state has their own urban land supply policy. The aim of research paper is to identify the best land management techniques in India based on performance indicators and to develop an innovative technique using a combination of various tools to enhance the quantum of supply of urban land. The SMART (Sustainable, Marketable, Aesthetical, Rational and Transit Oriented) Model was developed to improve the performance of the Land Pooling land management policy in India. The SMART model was implemented for TPS no 32 and 12% extra urban land was provided for infrastructural development in TPS no 32.

In 2005, Korean steel giant POSCO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Odisha state government in India to build a US$12billion integrated steel project, involving a plant, mine and associated infrastructure. For the ten years... more

In 2005, Korean steel giant POSCO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Odisha state government in India to build a US$12billion integrated steel project, involving a plant, mine and associated infrastructure. For the ten years since then the project has faced strong opposition from the communities affected by the proposed steel plant, who do not want to relinquish their agricultural lands and face displacement. This is a case not only of human rights risks and harms, but also, much more broadly, of contests over development agendas, and who gets to set them. This report evaluates the strategies used by communities and their supporters to both resist land acquisition and the construction of the steel plant, and seek remedy for harms that have already taken place, primarily to do with violence, intimidation, dubious criminal charges, and the land acquisition that has occurred to date. The report focuses on the OECD National Contact Point process, and concludes that this process made no identifiable positive impact on human rights in this case. The report also finds that the international business and human rights discourse has had ambivalent effects in this case. It has led POSCO, which was previously inexperienced in this area, to develop some voluntary human rights commitments, but has not led to any tangible changes in its business behaviour in India. Furthermore, it may have equipped POSCO with tools to deflect criticism without making changes on the ground, thereby having an ultimately damaging effect on human rights fulfilment. The report situates the international business and human rights processes (primarily the OECD National Contact Point process) within a broad landscape of avenues of redress and resistance, and identifies broad factors that have enabled and constrained resistance and access to remedy. It concludes with lessons learnt for the OECD National Contact Points, aggrieved communities and their supporters, and business.

The Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (hereafter LAA) has enabled the state to acquire land compulsorily even without theconsent of the land owner in the name of 'public purpose'. Of course, state is legally bound to pay the payment of... more

The Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (hereafter LAA) has enabled the state to acquire land compulsorily even without theconsent of the land owner in the name of 'public purpose'. Of course, state is legally bound to pay the payment of compensation for such acquisitions. However, to the individual land owners only. But the compensations paid by the state are usuallynot fair, and at times, these are not enough as it was not equivalent to the market rate. Moreover, rehabilitation and resettlement (hereafter R&R) of the displaced or project affected people has never been the priority of the state. To accomplish specified developmental goals have been its topmost priority and least interest is paid to the livelihood crisis and other socioeconomic issues brought about by these developmental projects. However, a large quantum of land acquisition, since India's independence has compelled the displaced people and communities to resist these compulsory land acquisitions by the state under the arbitrary LAA, 1894. This Act has enhanced the power of sovereign by invoking the concept of 'eminentdomain' in matters of land acquisitions. The LAA, 1894 is an expression of the concept of 'eminentdomain' in Indian jurisprudence.Resistance movements to the arbitrary use of this Act by the state have emerged in various parts of the country including the NorthEast part of India. This paper is an attempt to examine the land acquisition processes in the state of Assam, particularly in the context of dam projects. In order to explore and revisit some of the issues and concerns related to land acquisitions and R&R policies of the government, this paper deals with the following questions-why did the previous R&R policies remained unsuccessful? Does R&R is the only alternative to ensure lesser objections to the land acquisition process? What is the stand of the new BJP alliance Assam government on dam projects in the state? What makes the new land Act, 2013 satisfactory, if any, particularly in terms of R&R scheme?

The concepts of degraded forest (pa mai xout xom) and degraded land (din seuam xom) have been variously applied in official Lao government policy narratives and law over the last couple of decades. In this article I focus on the concepts... more

The concepts of degraded forest (pa mai xout xom) and degraded land (din seuam xom) have been variously applied in official Lao government policy narratives and law over the last couple of decades. In this article I focus on the concepts of degraded forest and land, and the relationship with industrial tree plantations, using two examples from southern Laos. I argue that the concepts have been significant in both facilitating and obstructing the development of large-scale industrial tree plantations in different times and spaces, thus significantly influencing access and exclusion, as well as the spatialization of tree plantations. I provide a tentative genealogy regarding the emergence of these concepts in land and forestry policy in Laos, and briefly explain the links between degradation and ‘the land rush’ presently affecting Laos.

Large scale large acquisitions have become increasingly common across Africa. This paper draws on two case studies of large scale large acquisitions in Ghana to examine how the practice affects communities in general, and women in... more

Large scale large acquisitions have become increasingly common across Africa. This paper draws on two case studies of large scale large acquisitions in Ghana to examine how the practice affects communities in general, and women in particular. It explains that while there have been some benefits of these acquisitions, the costs to communities mostly outweigh the benefits. Women are particularly impacted by this practice as their livelihoods are affected and they are excluded from the proceeds of land transactions. The paper concludes with a discussion of the actions that state agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and communities have taken to address the negative impact of large scale land acquisition on women and their communities.

In India, displacement of human population took place in ancient and medieval periods but its intensity and spread increased during the colonial period. The all-embracing nature of the colonial state power found one of its successful... more

In India, displacement of human population took place in ancient and
medieval periods but its intensity and spread increased during the colonial period. The all-embracing nature of the colonial state power found one of its successful expressions through the enactment of the Land Acquisition Act in 1894. However, in 2013 that is after 120 years,
the Government of India has enacted in the Parliament a new Land Acquisition Act named Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013. The new Land Acquisition Act has specific provisions for carrying out a social impact assessment before the acquisition of land by competent specialists. In our study,
we have undertaken a micro-level field based anthropological study among a group of peasant
families who have lost their cultivable land for the establishment of a heavy industry, in the village Gokulpur under Kharagpur-I block, in Paschim Medinipur district, West Bengal, India, during 1991-92. In this study, we have discussed changing of the social structure of the land
loser families, primarily from the event of land acquisition caused by the loss of agricultural land owing by governmental land acquisition for the establishment of this industry. This paper also pays attention to the social relations of the land loser with their non- land loser neigbours.

This paper is discussing impacts of land acquisition on the farming and the non-farming groups in the western Uttar Pradesh. Several impacts on farming and non-farming groups have happened after the acquisition land. Similar issues... more

This paper is discussing impacts of land acquisition on the farming and the non-farming groups in the western Uttar Pradesh. Several impacts on farming and non-farming groups have happened after the acquisition land. Similar issues related to the acquisition land have happened on all over India. Some persisting issues have arisen after losing land were Displacement, resettlement, livelihood challenge, shifting occupation and food insecurity. Main objectives of the study are the first to analyze impacts of land acquisition on farming and non-farming groups. In extent to evaluate their livelihood conditions after losing land; Second objective of the study is analyze affected agriculture production, impact on children and their education and food insecurity in western Uttar Pradesh after acquisition land and third objective is to reveal the present condition of farmers and non-farming groups of studied villages.

The state's 'eminent domain' provision under colonial Land Acquisition Act, 1894 is the major cause that forcefully dispossesses the peasantry of their major means of production, that is, land. Though it facilitates rapid... more

The state's 'eminent domain' provision under colonial Land Acquisition Act, 1894 is the major cause that forcefully dispossesses the peasantry of their major means of production, that is, land. Though it facilitates rapid industrialization, it has a severe impact on affected persons that often leads to socioeconomic impoverishment. Despite the existence of a significant number of studies on the relationship and impacts of development-forced displacement and resettlement in general, only a few studies focus on gender issues. Moreover, there is complete absence of studies on the consequences, which women face in the context of acquisition of agricultural land, where the affected persons are not physically relocated. Based on a micro-level field study, it tries to explore what the affected persons, particularly the women, do when the productive assets like agricultural lands have been acquired for private industries. Furthermore, it tries to examine whether there is any impact on the members of neighbouring families, particularly the women, whose lands have not been acquired. Analyzing the village-level data in an industrial zone of South Bengal, India, it is revealed that land acquisition forced the affected women to go outside for earning, thereby enhancing their position in the family in an agrarian environment. This positively affected the neighbouring women and made them engage in income-generating activities , breaking the cultural traditions of non-participation of women in outside work and patriarchal subjugation, prevalent in peasant societies of India.

This paper deals with the case of dispossession of peasants by a decision of the government to acquire fertile agricultural land for the establishment of big industrial projects in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal. The decision... more

This paper deals with the case of dispossession of peasants by a decision of the government to acquire fertile agricultural land for the establishment of big industrial projects in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal. The decision of the government within the wider context of a liberalized industrial policy made the small and marginal peasants and sharecroppers extremely vulnerable to impoverishment risks virtually in the absence of any kind of safety net as visualized by Ravi Kanbur in his recent debate with Michael Cernea. Our case study narrates the various stages of the acquisition of land as well as the responses of the affected peasants organized under local leadership, which created a space for increasing the rates of compensation within the existing legal framework in the absence of support from any voluntary organization or political party. The local leadership innovated various means of fighting out the risks created by land acquisition and had been able to put sufficient pressure on the district administration to bargain out compensation outside the purview of the law. The case study reveals that it is not sufficient only to identify the impoverishment risks in development caused displacement situations as has been done by Michael Cernea but it is also necessary to prepare detailed ethnographic records of how people at the grassroots respond to government decision and action which causes dispossession.

This study aims to analyze changes in land use and social conditions of the community that occur due to land acquisition for the construction of railway facilities and infrastructure in Tanete Rilau District. The research was conducted... more

This study aims to analyze changes in land use and social conditions of the community that occur due to land acquisition for the construction of railway facilities and infrastructure in Tanete Rilau District. The research was conducted using descriptive qualitative methods to determine the social impact of the community, while spatial analysis was to map changes in land use. Data collection was carried out through interviews with key respondents, observation and interpretation of Sentinel imagery in 2015 and 2021. Overlay analysis of land use maps from 2015 to 2021 was carried out to map land use changes. The results showed that the construction of railway facilities and infrastructure had an impact on the reduction of agricultural land, namely 37.77 hectares of rice fields and 12.40 hectares of dry fields. The development also has implications for the declining quality of the environment, even causing floods. The impact of the development also changes the social conditions of the community, including the change of job functions, the decline in farmers' arable land and the limited transportation network due to the construction of railroads. The development also results in changes in morphology and disruption of the irrigation system which has implications for the accumulation of water/puddles on agricultural land. This condition causes farmers to experience crop failure. Unplanned impact mitigation since the beginning of development has implications for the decline in social conditions of the community and environmental degradation.

Infrastructure development that is being promoted by the government to support economic growth is often constrained by land acquisition problems. The issue of land acquisition tends to be more complex when it comes to communal land. This... more

Infrastructure development that is being promoted by the government to support economic growth is often constrained by land acquisition problems. The issue of land acquisition tends to be more complex when it comes to communal land. This research tries to map land acquisition problems with customary land objects in the Padang-Sicincin Toll Road project in Padang Pariaman Regency along with alternative solutions. The land acquisition problems were analyzed qualitatively. The f indings of the study are the amount of compensation, the status of land objects, the agencies involved, and the entitled/affected communities with sequences based on the stages in land acquisition. Alternative solutions offered include: improving the quality of clear and detailed planning documents, meaningful socialization and public consultation, and massive community involvement at every stage of land acquisition. Regarding the assessment of compensation for communal land, it is necessary to formulate an assessment indicator in the Indonesian Assessment Standard that accommodates social and customary costs.

This paper investigates the direct and cascading land system consequences of a Chinese company's land acquisition for rubber cultivation in northern Laos. Transnational land acquisitions are increasingly acknowledged as an important... more

This paper investigates the direct and cascading land system consequences of a Chinese company's land acquisition for rubber cultivation in northern Laos. Transnational land acquisitions are increasingly acknowledged as an important driver of direct land use conversion with implications for local land-based livelihoods. The paper presents an empirical case study of the village of Na Nhang Neua in Nambak District, Luang Prabang Province, using a mixed methods approach to investigate the positive and negative implications for household agricultural strategies, income generation and food security. Combining the conceptual lenses of land systems and livelihood approaches, this paper demonstrates how the land use system has changed substantially because of the establishment of the rubber plantation by the company, notably in the linkages between livestock rearing, upland shifting cultivation and lowland paddy rice cultivation. The changes go beyond the immediate competition for land caused by the rubber plantation: a penalty scheme introduced by the rubber company for damage to rubber trees caused by browsing animals has led the villagers to abandon livestock rearing, causing a cascade of negative effects on the entire land use system, especially on soil fertility, rice yields and food production.

"Wars and their aftermaths frequently transform land use and ownership, reshaping ‘post-conflict’ landscapes through new boundaries, population movements, land reforms and conditions of access. Within a global context of controversial... more

"Wars and their aftermaths frequently transform land use and ownership, reshaping ‘post-conflict’ landscapes through new boundaries, population movements, land reforms and conditions of access. Within a global context of controversial land concessions and farmland acquisitions, we bring to light the continued salience of historical memories of war in the ways land conflicts are being negotiated in Laos. Considering circumstances at different scalesdfrom bilateral government relations to village-level claimsdwe find that political capital linked to memories of wartime affiliations have crucial spatial and place-based connections, and that they affect the ways investors, government officials and villagers negotiate over land concessions. Ethnographic evidence, spatial analysis and a survey of expatriate development workers engaged with land issues in Laos suggest that such ‘political memories’ are an important but often overlooked factor in shaping an uneven concessions landscape. We discuss implications for foreign development organizations that tend to privilege technical and legal aspects of land
management over such political dimensions."

Arup Majumdar in this paper, has tried to present the results of an anthropological field based study among a group of peasant families in the villages under Kharagpur- I Block in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal. He specifically... more

Arup Majumdar in this paper, has tried to present the results of an anthropological field based study among a group of peasant families in the villages under Kharagpur- I Block in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal. He specifically put focus on the comparative conditions of the women of landloser and non- landloser families subsequent to the
acquisition of agricultural land for the establishment of a heavy industry. He showed that after the acquisition, livelihood pattern have changed among the female members of landloser families.

Land Acquisition involves the compulsory taking of land. In Malaysia, land acquisition can be a complex and time-sensitive process. The land acquisition process in Peninsular Malaysia is governed by Land Acquisition Act 1960 (Act 486).... more

Land Acquisition involves the compulsory taking of land. In Malaysia, land acquisition can be a complex and time-sensitive process. The land acquisition process in Peninsular Malaysia is governed by Land Acquisition Act 1960 (Act 486). Even though all states in the Peninsular Malaysia are adopting the law, however the way of how it is implemented would be different according to each state. The Pengerang Intergrated Petroleum Complex (PIPC) is one big step in creating value to the downstream oil and gas value chain in Johor. Sited in Pengerang, it is one of the largest pieces of investment and compulsorily acquire villagers land. The Project Will House Oil refineries, Naphtha Crackers, Petrochemical Plants as well as a Liquefied Natural Gas Import Terminal and a Regasification Plant. The compulsory acquisition process for the PIPC project is in compliance with the LAA 1960 (Act 489) and land required by the State Authority. The process include hearing, compensation and court objection among others which are consistence with the applicable land laws and regulations as stated in the above-mentioned act. This paper discusses the action taken best approach and success story of the project. The discussion focuses on critical issues associated with or derived from land acquisition. It also includes the review on the best approach taken and highlights valuable lesson behind the project.

Increasingly over the last few years there is a clamour for repealing or at least amending the land acquisition law in India. In India, the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 gives the right for Government authorities to acquire parcels of land... more

Increasingly over the last few years there is a clamour for repealing or at least amending the land acquisition law in India. In India, the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 gives the right for Government authorities to acquire parcels of land for the implementation of development projects. The act is criticized as it give the Government Powers to acquire land forcibly without sufficiently looking into the sentiments, emotions of its owners attached to the land. Also, the compensation paid to the persons interested is nowhere near the price that the owners could have actually received for their piece of land. Another issue is the ambiguous way that "public purpose "is defined under the law. This gives the government powers to acquire land for any purpose including private companies. This paper seek to know the in-depth knowledge of the land acquisition process, in the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, key issues and proposed amendments in Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Bill 2011which attempt at 'balance' within the larger political context of land acquisition in India.