A division bench of the Gujarat high court has sought state government’s response to resident’s plea that Chikhli be recognised as a village with its own panchayat.
A division bench of the Gujarat high court has sought an explanation from the state government on a matter concerning the rights of the residents of four villages affected by the construction of Ukai dam.
The bench comprising chief justice SJ Mukhopadhya and justice KM Thaker has posted the case to March 8 for further hearing.
One Fulsingbhai Gamit, president of the Adivasi Sarvangi Vikas Sangh of Ucchal in Tapi district, filed a PIL in which he has raised the issue of 2,640 displaced people living in a colony for over two decades. Gamit states in his petition that the people living in the colony are yet to get their rights as villagers.
Gamit's PIL, which he filed through his counsel SH Aiyar, states that the Ukai dam project, which was undertaken for irrigation, hydroelectricity and flood control, was completed in 1972. The Ukai dam, which is located in Tapi district, has a reservoir 612 sq. km in size.
"For the purpose of construction of the reservoir, people from four villages - Mogalbara, Limbasiti, Pethapur and Nanchhal - were displaced and re-settled on land bearing different survey numbers," the PIL states.
The petition further states that the entire area where residents of the four villages were re-settled is known as Chikhli. But this place is yet to be given the status of 'village' as contemplated by Article 243(g) of the Constitution, the PIL states.
The names of the villagers concerned have been included in the voters list for Lok Sabha as well as Vidha Sabha polls. "But their names do not figure in the voters list of any of the nearby village panchayats as contemplated by the Gujarat Panchayats Act-1993. Consequently, they are being deprived of the statutory benefits flowing from various statues like Part IX of the Constitution of India," the petition states.
The PIL further says that the villagers had made several representations to different authorities for constituting a village panchayat at Chikhli.
"However, the state government has not taken any action for either constituting a new village panchayat at Chikhli or for including the names of the PAPs concerned in the nearby village Panchayats. Therefore, the state government should give the name of the village and form a village panchayat for the rights of the over 2,440 people living in residential colonies," the petition states.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}