By IANS,
Gandhinagar: The Gujarat High Court has dismissed petitions by Kutch district villagers challenging the allotment of 1,000 acre land to Adani Group for its Mundra Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
The division bench of Chief Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice Akil Kureshi, in an order made available Thursday, said insofar as the challenge of the petitioners to the allotment of gauchar (grazing) land of Zarapara village “to the company is concerned, the same fails”.
The court recommended to the state government to examine if it could allot around 1,000 acre of wasteland to Zarpara panchayat as grazing land.
If such government wasteland was not available, the premium collected from Adani Group could be placed at the disposal of the panchayat for acquisition of grazing land, the court suggested.
The petitioners called the land allotment as illegal and arbitrary, claiming it disturbed the cattle and grazing land ratio in the village.
The state government said the land was taken back following proper procedure and with the consent of the self-governance body concerned.