After receiving apex court ordered package oustees to leave disputed land
Sardar Sarovar dam
In a major relief to landowners displaced by the Sardar Sarovar project, the Supreme Court has directed the Gujarat government to pay Rs. 60 lakh for each of the project affected persons (PAFs) from neighbouring Madhya Pradesh who had refused to accept the meagre amount offered of Rs. 5.58 lakh offered to them in 2005 as Special Rehabilitation Package (SRP) for up to 2 hectares of land.
The SC has also directed that the same amount be paid to those among the displaced landed who had accepted 50% of the package SRP amount but never received the compensatory land they were entitled to under the SRP.
As for the 1589 PAFs who had accepted the entire SRP amount but were duped by the Registry scam as unearthed by the Justice Jha Commission, are to receive 15 lakh rupees each.
The Gujarat government which has been asked to pay up the compensation totalling to about four hundred crores within the next two months welcomed the court order.
While welcoming the verdict of the apex court, the Narmada Bachao Andolan which was the main petitioner in the case along with the PAFs, has stated in a press release that it will continue to press for adequate relief to the landless, the fishermen and the local shopkeepers whose livelihoods depended on the local economy of the lands since submerged under the Sardar Sarovar dam.
The governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat have also been directed to complete rehabilitation of the project affected families.
The Grievance Redressal Authority has been directed to ensure the provision of civic amenities at the relief rehabilitation sites, especially in MP. Those who receive cash as per the apex court orders are to leave the disputed land by July 31.