Return unused land acquired for Narmada dam, oustees demand citing Modi's decision not to amend Land Acquisition Act

By A Representative
In an important move, the Narmada dam oustees in Madhya Pradesh have demanded that the order to acquire their housing and agricultural lands should be “cancelled” and they should be given “full ownership rights” of the lands they possessed following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement that the 2013 Land Acquisition Act (LAA) will not be amended any more.
Asserting that they all have automatically become the actual owners of their houses and/or agricultural lands that were acquired 10-15 years ago, the oustees have said, the acquisition of their plots should be deemed cancelled as on January 1, 2014 “as per section 24(2) of the LAA.”
In a representation to Madhya Pradesh’s state-level Narmada authority, Narmada Valley Development Authority (NVDA), 80-odd oustee families have said that, the LAA requires that if a piece of land remains unutilized for project development for five years, it should be returned to the owners.
“Our names should be entered through mutation on the said property”, the representation was quoted as saying by the powerful anti-dam movement, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), in a statement.

The NBA claimed, the oustees from village Pipri, Piplud, Chhota Barda and Bhilkheda of Badwani district and Chikhalda and Bhavaria of Dhar district, totaling about 80, have also filed their petitions before the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Indore Bench, and have “already received a stay order against dispossession of their lands.”
The High Court has directed the state “not to elicit or even drown their properties”, according to the NBA, adding, “This is applicable to above 40,000 families residing in the submergence area of the Narmada dam and other dam projects on the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh.”
The NBA statement came on the 22nd day of the Jeevan Adhikar Satyagraha, in which hundreds of farmers, labourers and fisherpersons gathered at the district collector’s office in Badwani, which borders Gujarat, to protest against the ongoing construction of the Narmada dam, apprehending massive submergence.
“The oustees are confident the section of the LAA has already been interpreted by the Supreme Court in 2014 and 2015 in such a way that it prevents the Modi government and other lower courts from misinterpreting LAA in a particular way”, the NBA said.
“The Supreme Court has rightly interpreted that even if the 2013 Act section 24(2) gets amended or deleted, the ownership rights already granted under the Act since January 1, 2014, cannot be compromised with”, the NBA underlined.
Calling this a “great relief to the project affected people whose lands/houses were acquired years ago”, the NBA said, they received a “meagre compensation”, even as rehabilitation began much late, leaving many oustees “penniless”.
“Lack of rehabilitation planning and land resources have created a situation in which the“oustees become the losers as they cannot start a new life”, it added. Under construction on Narmada river in Gujarat, the Narmada dam’s height is being taken from 122 metres to 139 metres.

Comments

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

'Policy long overdue': Coalition of 29 experts tells JP Nadda to act on SC warning label order

By A Representative In a significant development for public health, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to seriously consider implementing mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on pre-packaged food products. The order, passed by a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan on February 10, 2026, comes as the Court expressed dissatisfaction with the regulatory body's progress on the issue.

Vaccination vs screening: Policy questions raised on cervical cancer strategy

By A Representative A public policy expert has written to Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda raising a series of concerns regarding the national Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign launched on February 28 for 14-year-old girls.

UAPA action against Telangana activist: Criminalising legitimate democratic activity?

By A Representative The National Investigation Agency's Hyderabad branch has issued notices to more than ten individuals in Telangana in connection with FIR No. RC-04/2025. Those served include activists, former student leaders, civil rights advocates, poets, writers, retired schoolteachers, and local leaders associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian National Congress.

The new anti-national certificate: If Arundhati Roy is the benchmark, count me in

By Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava* Dear MANIT Alumni Network Committee, “Are you anti-national?” I encountered this fascinating—some may say intimidating—question from an elderly woman I barely know, an alumna of Maulana Azad College of Technology (MACT, now Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology - MANIT), Bhopal, and apparently one of the founders of the MACT (now MANIT) Alumni Network. The authority with which she posed the question was striking. “How much anti-national are you? What have you done for the Alumni Network Committee to identify you as anti-national?” When I asked what “anti-national” meant to her and who was busy certifying me as such, the response came in counter-questions.

Development vs community: New coal politics and old conflicts in Madhya Pradesh

By Deepmala Patel* The Singrauli region of Madhya Pradesh, often described as “India’s energy capital,” has for decades been a hub of coal mining and thermal power generation. Today, the Dhirouli coal mine project in this district has triggered widespread protests among local communities. In recent years, the project has generated intense controversy, public opposition, and significant legal and social questions. This is not merely a dispute over one mine; it raises a larger question—who pays the price for energy development? Large corporate beneficiaries or the survival of local communities?

Minority concerns mount: RTI reveals govt funded Delhi religious meet in December

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* Indian Muslims have expressed deep concern over what they describe as rising hate speech and hostility against their community under the BJP-led government in India. A recent flashpoint was the event organised by Sanatan Sanstha titled “Sanatan Rashtra Shankhnad Mahotsav” in New Delhi on 13–14 December 2025.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

From neglect to progress: The story of Ranavara’s community-led development

By Bharat Dogra Visitors to Ranavara, a remote village in Kherwara block of Udaipur district, are often surprised by its multi-dimensional progress. The village today is known for its impressive school building, regenerated pastures, expanded tree cover, and extensive water conservation and supply works. These achievements are the outcome of sustained community efforts over several years, demonstrating how small, consistent initiatives can lead to significant change.

Search This Blog