Guj HC seeks Adani Port reply on land encroachment

APSEZ has been asked to file detailed affidavit with in a fortnight

Adani Port and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) Ltd was on Friday directed by the Gujarat High Court to file reply with regard to allegations of encroachment of village grazing land in Mundra taluka of Kutch district.

The directions were issued by division bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by villagers of Siracha village in Mundra, Kutch.

APSEZ has been asked to file a detailed affidavit with in a fortnight giving clarification on allegation of encroachment of grazing land made by the villagers.

The PIL was filed by people of Siracha village where they have claimed that APSEZ has encroached upon over 60 acres of grazing land that belonged to the village. They have further alleged in their petition that despite several representations made to the district authorities, the state government had turned a blind eye to them.

The villagers have also stated in their petition that APSEZ has begun construction on residential colony on land which was never allotted to the company.  They have sought immediate stay on the unauthorised construction by the company. They have also demanded that High Court appoint a monitoring committee to supervise the developmental activities in the area.

According to case details, the villagers had first approached the High Court in 2010 against the village land being allotted to APSEZ. But, upon assurance of developmental works promised by the company their petition was disposed off. Later the company also came up with a settlement proposal with the village people which the later had accepted.

However, despite the settlement proposal the company did not fulfill its promise for over two years, hence the villagers again approached the High Court, seeking restraining orders for the company from doing any construction on encroached village grazing land.

Villagers have also alleged in the PIL that the company was polluting area near the village by discarding untreated effluent waste on open land.