Jharkhand High Court stays eviction of landowners in NTPC's coal project

Ranchi, Aug 13 (PTI) The Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday stayed the eviction of individuals whose land was acquired for the Pakri Barwadih Coal Project of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in Hazaribagh district.
    At least 12 people were injured after a section of villagers clashed with officials of NTPC and the district administration on Tuesday, following disagreement between the two sides over the coal mining project.
    Justice Rajesh Kumar, while hearing a petition filed by Basudev Sao and other landowners from the project-affected area, directed that the petitioners shall not be forcibly evicted from their respective land.
    The court also ordered NTPC to file a reply in the matter and scheduled the next hearing two weeks later.
    During the hearing, the petitioners' counsel argued that while the land was acquired under the Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act and the Land Acquisition Act, the mandatory procedures outlined under these laws were not properly followed by NTPC.
    The counsel also submitted that the compensation awarded to the affected landowners was calculated based on outdated provisions, whereas it should have been determined according to current market rates following a social impact assessment, as mandated under prevailing legal standards.
    An FIR has been lodged by the administration against 335 people, including 250 unknown individuals, in connection with the clash.
    "An investigation into the incident is underway, and action will be taken accordingly," a police officer said.
    Hazaribag Deputy Commissioner Shashi Prakash Singh and SP Anjani Anjan camped at the site on Wednesday, and the situation is now under control, as per officials.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)