HC reserves verdict on Nilachal power plant

Orissa High Court today concluded hearing of 16 petitions challenging the land acquisition process and environmental clearance of the proposed KVK Nilachal Power Plant in Athgarh sub-division of Cuttack district but reserved its verdict.
A division bench of Justices B N Mohapatra and Indrajit Mahanti reserved the verdict which will be pronounced on a later date which will decide the fate of the 1400 MW coal-based power plant.
The High Court in May 2012 after admitting the petitions had stayed the construction of the Rs 6,300 crore power plant earmarked to come up on over 900 acres at Kandarei village of Athgarh.

The court while rejecting a plea to modify its May 2012 order had suggested the company to approach the National Board of Wildlife to seek a relief on environment clearance.
But instead of approaching the Wildlife Board, the company had preferred to renew its prayer for vacating the stay order.
While the original PILs filed in this regard by some peasants of the nearby areas had questioned the land acquisition process, few other petitions were filed later questioning the environmental and forest clearance of the project.