The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Panna district to address the grievances of petitioner within four months regarding arrangement of alternative residential houses for the local residents, whose houses were affected by overflow of Pahadikheda Dam in Panna district of the state.
The Jabalpur Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla dismissed of the petition on September 8, observing that the plea was filed in 2013 and no reply has been filed by the respondents since then.
The Bench said,
“If the grievances of the petitioner are still not ventilated, he may make proper enquiry and take necessary steps regarding payment of compensation and rehabilitation within a period of four months from the date of communication of this order passed today.”
The PIL, filed by one Biharilal Kol, further sought compensation to the local residents, whose agriculture and trees were perished because of the overflow of the Dam and Pond.
The petitioner further prayed for direction to the respondents to make alternative arrangement for stopping the overflows of the Dam/Pond and water traversing into the agricultural lands and in the houses of local residents of village Bhasuda.
The petition alleged that for development purposes, the state of Madhya Pradesh, through the Irrigation department in Bhasuda village, falling under Majra Amariya tehsil in Panna district, had acquired land for construction of Pahadikheda Pond (Dam). When the Dam was completed, the water of the Dam overflowed and hampered the normal chores and life of the local residents of village Bhasuda. The dam water is traversing beyond the land acquired and creating a havoc in the life of local residents, who are poor people belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes community, added the plea.