The Supreme Court today stated the four states benefiting from the Narmada project should give priority to the setting up of grievance-redressal authorities to look after the relief and rehabilitation of those ousted by the scheme.
The Bench, headed by Chief Justice B N Kirpal, stated this on being apprised of the fact that former Justice S P Kurdukar, heading the Maharashtra grievance-redressal authority, had resigned as a result of the uncooperative attitude of the state government. The counsel for the state could not confirm whether the judge had resigned or not and sought two weeks to obtain the information. The Bench asked the state government to state on affidavit within three weeks whether the grievance-redressal authority had been functioning and, if so, whether all facilities had been extended to it by the state government. The authority was set up on the orders of the Supreme Court.
Solicitor-General Harish Salve, representing the Narmada Control Authority, told the court the height of the dam had been raised to 95 metres with humps as permitted by a judgment last year. He said the petition of the Narmada Bachao Andolan had, therefore, become irrelevant. In reply, Prashant Bhushan, the counsel for the Narmada Bachao Andolan, said though the height might have been raised, the relief and rehabilitation of those ousted by the project were unsatisfactory.