Friday, June 21, 2013

PIL accuses Adani SEZ of land grab, HC issues notices


Express news service: Ahmedabad, Fri Jun 21 2013, 04:03 hrs

A public interest petition filed in the High Court has accused Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) authorities of encroaching upon pastoral land in Siracha village of Mundra taluka of Kutch district to build a "China Colony" probably for the accommodation of its employees.

The PIL was filed by 10 residents of Siracha village and a division bench has issued notices to respondents while scheduling the next hearing after two weeks.

According to the PIL, APSEZ has been allotted land in the region, including some chunks of Siracha's gauchar land. However, subsequently, APSEZ authorities started encroaching upon 40 acres of Siracha's pastoral land that was not allotted to it.

Petitioners alleged their attempts to stop the "encroachment" did not deter APSEZ authorities, who went ahead with the construction allegedly with the help of the state authorities and even got a mobile tower installed there to earn rent.

One of the petitioners also alleged he was threatened by an employee of APSEZ.

Narendra Jain, the lawyer for the petitioners, said the court issued notices to all the respondents, including the state government, APSEZ, Chief Conservator of Forests, Union of India, Siracha Gram Panchayat and the Kutch Collector.

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HC notice to state govt, Centre, Adani Group

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court Thursday issued notices to the Centre, the state government, the Adani Group-owned Adani Port Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) and Shiracha village panchayat over a PIL filed by villagers accusing the company of encroaching on the village's grazing land.

The petitioners have claimed that the company was allotted part of the village's gauchar land for development of APSEZ but, besides the allotted land, the company has been putting up construction on some 40 acres of gauchar land.

The petition filed through advocate Narendra Jain contends that the company has been expanding its residential colony, known as China Colony. It also claims that the company is building a party plot on the encroached gauchar land. The construction is without permission from any of the statutory bodies, including the panchayat, the petitioners have alleged.


Copyright © 2013 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved.


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