SC directs MP to file affidavit on dam oustees

New Delhi, Jan 31 (UNI) The Supreme Court today directed the state of Madhya Pradesh to file a comprehensive affidavit in four weeks explaining therein whether oustees of the Sardar Sarovar dam project and Indira Sagar dam project have been fully rehabilatatad or not.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices Dalvir Bhandari and D K Jain directed the state government to give details of steps taken by it to provide relief and rehabilitate those within the submergence zone on an application filed buy the Narmada Bachao Andolan.

Earlier the counsel for the petitioner contended that the height of the Indira Sagar Project is being raised to 245 metres and about 5000 families ejected by the project have not been provided any relief till date by the government which is in clear violation of the orders of this court passed in 2000 and 2005 according to which all oustees were to be rehabilitated before raising the height of the dam.

At least 45 dam projects including Omkeshwar are under construction in Madya Pradesh.

The counsel for the state however contended that Rs 4000 crore have already been spent for R/R major and all the affected families have already been rehabilitated.

The court while adjourning the hearing to the second week of March directed the state goverment to come out with the steps taken by it by filing a detailed affidavit.

The Sardar Sarovar dam project has already been completed. The court, however, refused to stay the ongoing construction of Indira Sagar dam project in Madhya Pradesh.

UNI