SC directs MP govt to maintain water level of Omkeshwar dam

New Delhi, Sep 5 (UNI) The Supreme Court today directed the Madhya Pradesh government to try and maintain the water level at the Omkeshwar dam at 189 metres to avoid further submergence of the neighbouring villages.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran today modified its earlier order directing the state government to maintain the water level of the dam at its present level.

Earlier, counsel for the state of Madhya Pradesh contended before the court that the water level at the dam cannot be brought down from 190 to 189 metres. Senior counsel Rajiv Dhawan appearing for the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) however contended that if the water level was not reduced, about 25 villages will be submerged and lakhs of villagers would become homeless and shall also be deprived of their means of livelihood. As per the Supreme Court directions, the height of the dam cannot be raised without rehabilitating the oustees. The conduct of the state goverment is in violation of the judgement of the apex court and amounts to contempt of court.

The court was of the view that the water level can be raised but cannot be brought down. But keeping in view the problem of the people living within the submergence zone, the court told the government to try to maintain the water level at 189 m as far as possible barring slight fluctuations.

UNI