MP HC directed Govt to ensure land does not come under subme

The Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the government to ensure that land in 61 villages affected by the Maheshwar Dam do not come under submergence zone.

Hearing a PIL filed by the Narmada Bachao Andolan, a division bench of Justices Deepak Mishra and Ajeet Singh directed the government and project coordinators to ensure that land or house in the Maheshwar dam area do not come under submergence zone.

NBA leader Chitrupa Palit told the court that 15,000 people affected by the project had not been rehabilitated so far. No land has been provided in lieu of land and no rehabilitation site has been made.

She presented report by the Environment Ministry and the figures submitted by project coordinators in this regard and asserted that the government and project coordinators had failed to rehabilitate the displaced ones.

On April 29, the High Court had ordered project coordinators Maheshwar Hydel Power Corporation to stop direct purchase of land from affected people.

Following the order, project coordinators had to provide land in lieu of land, irrigated and fertile land and minimum five acre land.