Left with no income, Indira first took up tailoring. Since 1970, she worked as a primary school teacher in Ratnagiri and lived in a rental accommodation for nearly 11 years. Despite a recommendation by the Tehsildar of Khed, she was told in 1987 that the land could not be allotted to her.
A 72-year-old war widow's relentless pursuit for a piece of land that she was entitled to has finally paid off, with the government giving her an agricultural plot in Khed, Ratnagiri. In an affidavit filed in the Bombay high court, Gopal Nigudkar, district collector (in charge), Ratnagiri, stated that they had handed over possession of 10 acres of land to Indira Jadhav.
Expressing satisfaction over the development, a division bench of justices Abhay Oka and Anil Menon observed: "We are happy to note that a complete compliance with all the directions issued by this court has been made by the state government and justice has been done to the petitioner who is a widow of a war hero."
When was the 72-yr-old denied the plot?
It's been a tortuous journey for Jadhav, who is currently recuperating from a surgery for cancer treatment at Pune. Her husband had applied for agricultural land as a serving soldier but was martyred in 1965 before the allotment.
Left with no income, Indira first took up tailoring. Since 1970, she worked as a primary school teacher in Ratnagiri and lived in a rental accommodation for nearly 11 years. Despite a recommendation by the Tehsildar of Khed, she was told in 1987 that the land could not be allotted to her.
When did she move HC?
Dna had reported in October 2013 how Jadhav had to knock on the doors of the HC after failing to get justice despite letters from former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and army chiefs. She filed the petition through advocates Avinash Gokhale and Mayuresh Modgi.
Did the govt offer her land?
In 1994, the government offered her a plot, but it was located at isolated place without any medical facilities in the vicinity. Prashant Thorat, member of the Gurukrupa Sanstha, helped Indira pursue the case legally. On November 3, 2014, Jadhav accepted a 300-square meter residential plot in Khed. However, she refused to take over possession of an agricultural land that required a "hike" for nearly 2 km to reach. Further, the land allotted was not one large plot measuring 10 acres. It comprised four different plots surrounding a hillock.
Was the govt fined for the delay?
The HC had on August 5, 2014 directed the state allot a 300-square meters residential plot to Jadhav in addition to 10 acres of agricultural land in Khed. The court had then imposed a cost of Rs75,000 on the government for dilly-dallying the matter. The bench observed: "If the petitioner (Jadhav) has some grievance regarding the terms and conditions on which the land is allotted, she can always take possession without prejudice to her right of making a representation against the said terms and conditions about which she has a grievance."
As regards the current plot, the government has laid a condition that cultivation has to begin on it within two years failing which it would be taken back, said Indira's lawyer.
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