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Published on
July 13, 2023
Edited on
Adani Pench Power Limited, a subsidiary of Adani Power Limited, is setting up a 1,320megawatt supercritical thermal power plant in Chhindwara district. The construction of the plant will affect 31 villages and submerge over 5,607 hectares of land, including the full submergence of six villages. Affected farmers are opposing the project on two grounds: one, they are against the plant and second, Adani diverted land for the project without their consultation. The state government decided to provide the land and infrastructure for the project. In 1987, the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board acquired land from five villagesChaunsara, Hiverkhedi, Dhanora, Tekathawadi and Dagabani Pipariaat the rate of INR 1,50010,000 per acre for 750 acres. However, the farmers still had possession of the land until 2010, when Adani came into the picture. In 2010, the state sold the land to Adani for "INR 13.75 lakh per acre without conducting a public hearing", says Advocate Aradhana Bhargava, a social worker fighting for farmers' rights. The farmers are protesting against the government's move and have demanded that their land should be returned to them. In 2011, over 3,000 farmers marched to the Parliament house in Delhi against the acquisition and sale of their land by the government to Adani. In November 2012, as part of police clampdown to suppress the protest against water diversion for the Pench Power Plant, Medha Patkar and 21 activists were arrested by police in Chhindwara. In 2016, another rally was conducted to demand the formal return of the land, although the people still had physical possession of the land. In a 2019, Adani Power acquired entire stakes in Adani Pench power project, changing its name to Adani Pench Power Plant. The company is now seeking an extension of the environmental clearance (EC) to the project. The earlier EC expired in 2019. Meanwhile, Adani has taken possession of the land and is expected to start the construction work by 2022. When LCW contacted Rajkumar Sinha from the National Alliance of People's Movement on August 4, 2020, he said that on May 27, 2020, the state government had signed a 1,320megawatt power purchase contract with Adani Power to supply electricity from the Adani Pench Power Plant. At least 28 organisations have publicly opposed the move in a press note questioning the need to purchase electricity when the state already has excess electricity. Meanwhile, Adani Power has built a gate around the land although the construction ie yet to start. In May 2021, the farmers put forward the demands for jobs after the completion of the power plant as per the agreed terms or permission to cultivate the vacant agricultural fields around the plant. To settle the disagreement, the administration conducted two meetings between Adani officials and farmers. But the meetings were inconclusive. Subsequently, in June, the farmers planted Kharif crops in over 200 acres of land, reported a local newspaper. In response, the Adani officials filed a complaint with the block tehsildar accusing the farmers of encroaching the land. The tehsildar has issued notices to over 50 farmers. However, the farmers have refused to answer the notices. They claim that the Adani officials were already given a warning at the time of the meetings.
Refusal to give up land for the project
Complaint against procedural violations
Opposition against environmental degradation
Demand to get back acquired land
Demand for employment
Rural
Private
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
7390
Type of investment:
Investment Expected
Year of Estimation
Page Number In Investment Document:
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Environmental Laws, Land Acquisition Laws, Forest and Scheduled Area Governance Laws
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Legal Status:
In Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Yes
Name of the adjudicatory body
National Green Tribunal
Name(s) of the Court(s)
National Green Tribunal, Supreme Court
Case Number
Appeal No. 1 of 2013 (NGT); CA Nos. 69 and 274 of 2014 (SC)
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Arrest/detention/imprisonment
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
In November 2012, as part of police clampdown to suppress the protest against water diversion for the Pench Power Plant, Medha Patkar and 21 activists were arrested by police in Chhindwara
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Nature of Protest
Protests/marches
Advocacy (for inclusion in courts)
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Adani Pench Power Limited
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
No
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Landowners
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
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