SC refuses to intervene in Reliance SEZ matter

Gujrat HC order stands after the SC refused to intervene in the matter of aquisition of agricultural land for SEZ in Gujarat, reports Satya Prakash.

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere into a Gujarat High Court order dismissing farmers’ petition against the acquisition of 10,000 acre agricultural land by the state government for setting up of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Infrastructure Ltd at Jamnagar.

A Bench of Justice KG Balakrishnan and Justice DK Jain, however, gave liberty to petitioner Shah Kantilal Depar and other farmers to approach the court again on the issue of compensation to be awarded for their acquired land.

The High court had earlier dismissed farmers’ petition against the allotment of agricultural land valued at hundreds of crores of rupees in five villages of Jamnagar to Reliance for SEZ.

The farmers alleged that ,of the 10,000 acre land acquired by state government for Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Infrastructure Ltd's proposed SEZ, 9,000 acre was agricultural land.

The SEZ to be set up by Reliance would also house the 27 million tonnes mega refinery of its parent firm Reliance Industries Ltd.
Email: satya.prakash@hindustantimes.com

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