MPHC rules in favour of Omkareshwar oustees

Jabalpur, Feb 21 (UNI) Ruling in favour of Khandwa district's Omkareshwar dam project oustees, the Madhya Pradesh High Court today ordered the state government to provide irrigated land plots of minimum 5 acres to the farmers and encroachers as per the rehabilitation policy's provisions.

Chief Justice Anang Kumar Patnaik and Justice Ajit Singh gave the ruling while hearing a Narmada Bachao Andolan plea challenging a government notice for evicting residents of 30 villages after the dam attained full-tank level.

The water level would not be permitted to rise above 189 m until rehabilitation was completed. All complaints may be addressed to the Complaints Redressal Authority by March 31, 2008. The Authority would have to submit its report in court by June 14 and a related hearing would take place on June 19. The government was directed to pay Rs 10,000 to NBA as litigation cost.

The NBA was represented by Advocate Chittaroopa Palit while the government was represented by Advocate-General R N Singh and Advocate Ravishankar Prasad.

UNI XC-AC 2202