In December 2023, Adani Green Energy Limited gave residents of Jaisalmer's Bhimsar village a verbal notice to stop using the lands that had been allotted to them by the Rajasthan government for setting up a 350MW renewable power project, part of the larger 1500MW Fategrah solar park.
The lands included Orans, ponds (talaabs), catchment areas (agor), tubewells and the 'fertile' government lands where farmers used to cultivate after paying a 'trespassing fine'.
The lands were allotted to the Adani Renewable Energy Park Rajasthan Ltd (AREPRL) in December 2021. It was reported that about 1324.14 hectares of land in Bhimsar, Madhopura, and Sadrasar villages, and 276.86 hectares in Batyadu and Nedan villages were allotted for the solar park.
A farmer Ram Singh from Bhimsar told LCW that those lands were part of Jaisalmer's fertile belt and were used to grow cumin, peanuts, cluster beans, pearl millet and dates, among other crops.
A noted wildlife conservationist Sumer Singh Bhati, based in the same Fatehgarh tehsil, confirmed to LCW about the existence of numerous tubewells, water catchment areas, and rainwater harvesting systems on the allotted lands.
The villagers had been trying to file a petition in the Rajasthan High Court in the matter. Their lawyer Sumer Singh Rathore said that legally renewable energy projects can't be closer than 1.5 km to a revenue village as per the 2007 allotment rules for power plants. He argued that the plans to set up the plant very close to the village was unlawful. The farmers of Bhimsar, on the other hand, are trying to get a drone survey of the area to collect evidence of the fertile land.
They had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 December, 2023, explaining how the village lands also included Orans and some indigenous and important trees like Khejri, Kumat, Kair, Jaal, etc. They added the allotment was wrong because it was labelled in revenue records as 'wastelands,' which was not true, and requested its cancellation.
After the protest on the ground, the company stated that the villagers have till May-June to collect their harvest before they take over the land.
Some villagers (11 petitioners) had filed cases against the allotment of their cultivable land in the Rajasthan High Court. In July, the court asked the revenue authority to decide on petitioners' rights over their land in accordance with Section 20 of The Rajasthan Land Revenue (Allotment of Land for Agricultural Purposes) Rules, 1970.
The company was asked to pay them compensation of Rs 10,000 per bigha for the destruction of their crops and were declared free to take the land back unless the land was regularised and allotted to the villagers, then its possession was to be handed over to them.
However, the company had already resumed the felling of trees in Orans back in June despite protests. It has reportedly destroyed 100-year-old sacred idols as well in the process.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for better access to common land/resources
Demand for legal recognition of land rights
Demand to get back acquired land
Opposition against environmental degradation
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common
Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)
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?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Project stalled due to protests
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Agricultural land, Grazing
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
Type of investment:
Not Available
Year of Estimation
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
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.
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
No
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:
Non-consultation with stakeholders
Legal Status:
In Court
Status of Case In Court
Disposed
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
No
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Rajasthan High Court
Case Number
Civil Writ Petition No. 2069/2024
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Rajasthan Land Revenue Department, Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Adani Renewable Energy Park Rajasthan Ltd – AREPRL, Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
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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