HC clears land acquisition for REL power project

Mumbai: The Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance Energy Limited (REL)’s 4,000-Mw coal and gas-based power project at Shahpur near Alibaug in Raigad district received a shot in the arm as a division bench of the Bombay High Court comprising justice JN Patel and Nisha Mhatre allowed the state government to go ahead with the land acquisition process.

The court has, however, restrained the state government from taking physical possession of the land till further orders.

The organisation of local farmers, Shetkari Sangharsh Samiti, had filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court challenging the state government’s decision to acquire the land on grounds that the project violates Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) and environmental norms.

However, government counsel Pradip Patil, brought it to the notice of the court that the project had received a clearance from the ministry of environment and forests.

Earlier, the divisional commissioner of the Konkan region suspended the public hearing and resorted to special provisions of the land acquisition Act as the state was facing acute shortage of power. The court has now set the next date of hearing for the case on January 16.

The project has already been delayed by more than a year as REL and Tata Power Company (TPC) got involved in a row over the land due to negligence of the state government machinery.

While REL approached the state government’s revenue department for its land requirement, TPC approached the state government’s industrial infrastructure arm Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). Both the agencies identified land at the Shahpur village for the project.

While REL wanted around 3,000 acres for its 4,000-Mw plant, TPC sought around 1,000 acres for its 1,600-Mw plant.

Now, according to the solution arrived at by the state government, REL in the first phase will take up 1,400-Mw coal-based project.

The state government would help REL find land for the 2,600-Mw gas plant once the company makes arrangement for gas, said sources in the state government’s energy ministry.