Sardar Sarovar Project: SC to hear plea today

The Supreme Court will on Monday hear the issue of compensation in the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) project on the river Narmada.

The apex court had earlier in its order awarded a compensation of Rs. 60 lakh each to 681 families affected by the Sardar Sardar Project (SSP) in Madhya Pradesh and an amount of Rs. 15 lakh each to 1358 families affected by the project within two months.

Earlier on February 8, the court decided to set up a panel of three former judges of the apex court to look into the issue.

A bench of the Apex Court headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Jagdish Singh Khehar proposed to set up a three-judge panel to monitor the compensation and rehabilitation for the oustees of SSP on river Narmada in three states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Earlier, the Apex Court said that to ensure better deal for the project-affected families and had asked the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and states to suggest names of experts who could be appointed in the committee which would deal with the issue of resettlement and rehabilitation of the oustees.

While hearing the petitions pertaining to rehabilitation of oustees of the project, the court had made it clear that it would not allow stalling of the project.