High Court favours land allotment for Adani SEZ
The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday turned down the challenge to the allotment of 1,000 acres of land to Adani for its Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone
The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday turned down the challenge to the allotment of 1,000 acres of land to Adani for its Mundra Port and Special Economic Zone (MPSEZ).
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice S J Mukhopadhaya and Justice Akil Kureshi passed the judgment while observing that insofar as challenge of the petitioners to the resumption of Gauchar land to the Panchayat and allotment thereof to respondent no,3 (Adanis Mundra SEZ) is concerned,the same fails.
The residents of Zarapara village in Kutch had in a set of PILs,challenged the allocation of 1,000 acres of grazing land to Adani for setting up of the SEZ. The petitioners had called the allotment illegal and arbitrary and had argued that the allocation of grazing land had disturbed the ratio of cattle to grazing land in the village as prescribed by the state government.
The state government had contested the arguments,stating that the land had been allotted in accordance with proper procedure and with the consent of the concerned local body. The state government further argued that the land allocation had not disturbed the ratio of cattle and grazing land in the village.
The court observed that the government should,if possible,allot 1,000 acre land out of government wasteland to the village panchayat for gauchar,and if such government wasteland is not available,the premium collected from Adani should be placed at the disposal of the village panchayat through the taluka panchayat for acquisition of land for Gauchar purpose. The court said it is not giving any direction in this regard because the petitioner did not seek any prayer for the same.