Don’t want Dadri land, Reliance Power tells Supreme Court

RPL had proposed a mega gas-based power project in Dadri. However, as gas was not made available for the project, the company has decided to give back the land to the state government.

Anil Ambani-led Reliance Power Limited (RPL) is no longer keen to have the land in Dadri for its power project and has requested the Supreme Court to let it withdraw its appeal against the Allahabad High Court judgment that cancelled acquisition done by the Uttar Pradesh government in 2004 and 2006. RPL had moved SC in 2009 for reinstating the acquisition.

HT Image

RPL had proposed a mega gas-based power project in Dadri. However, as gas was not made available for the project, the company has decided to give back the land to the state government.

It’s application said: “….the current situation is that there is acute shortage of domestic natural gas supply and therefore its is virtually impossible to obtain or secure any fresh allotment of domestic natural gas required to run the plant.” A recent statement made by the power and coal minister pointing to the shortage was cited in support of the plea.

The plea comes at a time when the SC has already reserved its order on RPL’s appeal against the HC order. The UP government had in February 2004 notified acquisition of more than 903 hectares of land for setting the power plant followed by another 53 hectares in 2006.

The acquisition order was challenged by farmers and was subsequently upheld by the HC.