HC dismisses pleas against land acquisition for mining in Chhattisgarh

Lawyer Sudeip Shrivastava, who represented the petitioners in the case, said they will move the Supreme Court

Published on: May 12, 2022, 12:01:35 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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RAIPUR : The Chhattisgarh high court has dismissed five pleas challenging land acquisition for the Parsa Coal Block allocated to electricity generation company Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd.

“We are of the opinion that apart from gross delay in approaching the court, there is no merit in these petitions. The petitions deserve to be dismissed...” a division bench of chief justice Arup Kumar Goswami and justice Rajendra Chauhan Singh Samant said on Wednesday.

Lawyer Sudeip Shrivastava, who represented the petitioners, said they will move the Supreme Court. “After reading the order, we will decide our next step...we will surely file an appeal...”

The court said anyone could have objected within 30 days to the acquisition and that there is no acceptable explanation for the delay in approaching it.

The Chhattisgarh government granted the final approval for 841.538 hectares of forest land for the mining project on April 6.

The court said issues raised before the National Green Tribunal have also been touched upon in the petitions. “..will confine our deliberations to the validity of the land acquisition process.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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