SC to look into rehab of dam displaced

New Delhi: The Supreme Court (SC) will take up hearing on the Narmada dam rehabilitation issue on Friday.

The SC will study the report submitted by the Shunglu Committee on the issue of compensation for displaced villagers.

The three-member committee, appointed by the Prime Minister and headed by V K Shunglu, says 3,800 of the 4,200 displaced families have got cash compensation.

However, social activist Medha Patkar had recently gone on a hunger strike claiming the displaced had not been rehabilitated.

Patkar says that the work at the dam site should be stopped immediately.

The Supreme Court had ruled in May that the dam work should continue until the Shunglu committee submits its report.

Incidentally, Patkar has written to the Prime Minister expressing dissatisfaction over the Shunglu committee report.

SC notice to NBA, Govt of India

In a related development, the apex court issued notice to Government of India, NBA and the governments of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh over a petition filed by and NGO National Council for Civil Liberty.

The NGO had filed a petition in the court allegeing that NBA was getting foreign funding for anti-dam activities.