Rs 1,000 crore scam in payment to Narmada dam oustees: Commission asked to scrutinise into all cases

By A Representative
In an important setback to the protagonists of the Narmada project, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has come down heavily on rampant corruption, alleged to be to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore, asking the state government to ensure that the Justice Jha Commission of Inquiry looks into every case of corruption. Ramant corruption resulted from the Madhya Pradesh government policy of handing over cash instead of land as compensation to the Narmada dam oustees. The top anti-dam body, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), welcoming the High Court order, said, the court has "validated" the Jha Commission, wanting the inquiry to "reach its logical conclusion."
The NBA claimed, “The order shall have a significant effect on the working on the commission, which has to scrutinize all cases of cash disbursals, in order to ensure that the oustees, mostly non-literate, tribals, farmers and landless, are not swindled by the corrupt nexus of officials and agents. Payments without scrutiny would have opened up a Pandora’s Box, which has been avoided by the High Court’s intervention.”
The NBA quoted the court order to say that the Jha Commission must be allowed to proceed with its inquiry without any delay, adding, the Madhya Pradesh government “is obliged to honour the direction given by the Supreme Court on May 11, 2009 regarding disbursement of compensation by way of cheques or cash after April 24, 2009, subject to the scrutiny by the Justice Jha Commission." Saying that this condition is now become "inviolable”, the NBA added, now payments to oustees would have to be obligatorily made by the government after verification from the Jha Commission.
In fact, the NBA said, all payments would have to be placed before commission for verification "within seven days, after which the commission shall furnish the report within two weeks, for necessary orders" for payment. The order was passed on an application by the NBA, which challenged the action of the state government and the Narmada Valley Development Authority (NVDA) for not complying with the orders of the Supreme Court and the High Court on mandated pre-payment scrutiny of rehabilitation.
Significantly, the Madhya Pradesh government was interpreting the Supreme Court order as applicable to only 396 oustees, whose case was examined in the apex court. The NBA said, “After exchange of detailed pleadings and hours of oral submissions, the High Court upheld that the order dated May 11, 2009 of the Supreme Court mandating pre-scrutiny of all cash/cheque payments shall not be eclipsed by the subsequent specific order of the Apex Court, permitting cash payment only in cases of 396 oustees. Thus, the contentions of the state, based on misrepresentation of judicial orders were rejected.”
The NBA further said, “It is well-known that as per the High Court’s orders since 2008, the commission has been investigating a massive corruption scam in the rehabilitation of oustees in Madhya Pradesh to a tune of Rs 1,000 crore, including almost 2,000 fake land registries, irregularities in civic amenities at 88 resettlement sites, fraud in house plot allotments, resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) grants to ineligible persons and betrayal of thousands landless persons entitled to alternative livelihood.”
“After issuing stern orders to the Chief Secretary, which has led to appointment of three senior full-time officials to assist the commission in the last months of 2013, the court took into consideration the undertaking given by the senior counsel, appearing for the government of Madhya Pradesh, that henceforth all permissible cooperation would be extended to the commission for its smooth functioning”, the NBA said.

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Dr. Ram Bux Singh: Biogas pioneer’s legacy gains urgency amid energy crisis

By A Representative In an era defined by a global energy crisis and a desperate search for sustainable solutions, the visionary work of an Indian scientist from the mid-20th century is finding renewed, urgent relevance. Dr. Ram Bux Singh , a pioneering figure in biogas and renewable energy , is being posthumously honored by the Government of India, even as his decades-old innovations provide a blueprint for today’s challenges.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Protesters in UK cities voice concerns over alleged developments in Bastar region

By A Representative Demonstrations were held across several cities in the United Kingdom on March 28, as groups and activists gathered to protest what they described as state actions in India under the reported “Operation Kagar.”

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Search This Blog