Land acquisition for Renuka Dam stayed

HimVani

Shimla (July 28): Going by the recent developments whereby courts stopped land acquisition for major projects, the National Green Tribunal today ordered an interim stay on land acquisition process by Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) for Renuka Dam project.Renuka Bandh Sangharsh Samiti had earlier expressed their objection to the project on several grounds.

Hearing a petition filed by a local challenging the environmental clearances given to the project in October 2009, the Tribunal passed the order after the counsel for the petitioner argued that the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the project was inadequate. The Samity had earlier claimed that the land was actually being bought by HPPCL through property dealers and contractors and that the land owners were the biggest losers in this case. Members of the Renuka Bandh Sangharsh Samiti had also expressed their objections on the grounds that the precious forested lands were being acquired for peanuts.