Court relief for Madhya Pradesh farmers
By IANSWednesday, May 5, 2010
NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Wednesday told the Madhya Pradesh government to give alternative land to all those farmers who have lost 60 percent or more of their land due to construction of Indira Sagar (ISP) and Omkareshwar (OSP) canals.
A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice J.M. Panchal and Justice B.S. Chauhan considered only the “hardship” cases and defined them as families with 60 percent or more land affected or likely to be affected by ISP and OSP canals.
The state government stand that canal-affected families (CAF) were not entitled to rehabilitation was challenged by Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar.
The apex Court in its interim order directed the Madhya Pradesh government to grant the right of land equivalent to the land lost to the ISP and OSP canals in all hardship cases.
The court said that the land thus given should be cultivable and allotted in the vicinity of the affected village.
