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Safety guidelines unilaterally infringed by filling Narmada dam: Apex court told

By Our Representative
The Madhya Pradesh government, in its reply affidavit, has told the Supreme Court that since the resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) of the Sardar Sarovar dam affected people has has not completed and several applications are still pending adjudication before the Grievance Redressal Authority (GRA), they have opposed filling up the dam’s reservoir to the full reservoir level (FRL), 138.68 metres.
The affidavit, filed in response to the Supreme Court bench comprising of Justices NV Ramana, Sanjiv Khanna and Krishna Murari, which had on September 27 directed the Madhya Pradesh government to file an affidavit on the status of the R&R of Sardar Sarovar dam oustees by September 30, even as fixing the hearing for October 1.
The affidavit alleged that the time line suggested as per safety guidelines been “unilaterally infringed upon” by filling up the reservoir by September 15, said an anti-dam organization, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), communique. The apex court is hearing NBA-supported dam-affected oustees’ petition objecting to filling up the dam’s reservoir to FRL.
Gujarat and the Government of India (GoI) sought time to respond to the short affidavit filed by Madhya Pradesh. Sanjay Parikh, senior advocate appearing for the petitioners, on the other hand, submitted that the issue of bringing down the level of reservoir waters needs to be urgently considered.
Bench asked Gujarat and GoI to hold a meeting and consider the suggestion of Madhya Pradesh. ASG “assured that he would get the appropriate committee consider the issue”, the NBA communique claimed. The matter is listed for next hearing on October 15, 2019.
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