SC seeks details about the rehabilitation of oustees

New Delhi, Aug 8 (UNI) The Supreme Court today directed the Central government and the state of Uttaranchal to file affidavits within two weeks giving details of how many families affected during the process of raising the water level from 760 metres to 790 metres at Tehri Dam Project have been rehabilitated and how many remained to be rehabilitated.

A bench comprising Chief justice Y.K. Sabharwal, Mr. Justice C.K.

Thakker and Mr. Justice P.K. Balasubramanyan issued the directions during the hearing of the appeals of N.D. Jayal and others who today alleged that the monitoring committee was virtually non- existent as it was not doing anything for the rehabilitation of illiterate villgers who have been ousted due to rising water level bringing them within submergence zone.

The court granted further two weeks time to the petitioners to file their response to the affidavit of the authorities.

Senior counsel Colin Gonsalves and Sanjay Parekh appearing for the petitioners pleaded that they were not pressing for stay of the dam construction but this court must issue directions to the government to take immediate steps for the rehabilitation of those uprooted from their villages where they had been staying for decades.

Directing the listing of matter in the month of September,2006, the court indicated that it would issue directions for the rehabilitation of the oustees as it was not satisfied with the performance of concerned authorities.

The petitioners' were directed to visit the site personally and place on record the latest position with regard to the resettlement of the oustees.

UNI AKS/SC RP VC1928