(Rptg, correcting headline)

New Delhi, Oct 16 (UNI) The Supreme Court today directed the Centre and the Narmada Control Authority to place before the court the minutes of NCA meeting held on October 13 as well as steps taken by the government in implementing the recommendations of the V K Shunglu committee report on relief and rehabilitation measures for the oustees.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabaharwal and Justices K G Balakrishnan and S B Sinha also directed Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to place before the apex court the steps taken by the two states to rehabilitate the affected families due to raising the height of Sardar Sarovar Dam Project upto 122 mts.

Senior Counsel Arun Jaitley appearing for Madhya Pradesh submitted before the court that out of 4286 affected families, 3980 have opted for a special rehabilitation package. The state government has already provided 5,000 hectares of land to the affected families, he added.

Shanti Bhushan, appearing for the NBA, opposed further construction on the ground that there were about 7,000-8,000 families who were yet to be rehabilitated. He said two hectares of land is required for each family.

Former Attorney General Ashok Desia, appearing for Gujarat, contested Mr Bhushan's plea, that construction work be stalled, on the ground that Rs 2,000 crore have already been invested by the state government.

Earlier, the Gujarat government had stopped the construction work with effect from July 10 due to the in monsoon season.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had appointed a three-member committee headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General V K Shunglu on July 8 this year to oversee and monitor the progress made in rehabilitation work.

The court posted the matter to December for next hearing. The court also directed all the parties concerned to file their replies within two weeks and a rejoinder thereto within the next fortnight.

UNI AKS/SC AK RP BD1615