Bombay high court allows Jaitapur people’s tribunal meet

The Bombay high court on Tuesday quashed a Ratnagiri district magistrate order prohibiting the association, Indian People’s Tribunal, to hold an indoor private meeting to hear the grievances of people protesting against the proposed Jaitapur nuclear power project.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and justice Roshan Dalvi directed the Ratnagiri collector to allow the Open House meeting to take place on the scheduled days (September 17 to 19).

The HC also directed the association to submit a list of people who would be attending the hearing and disclose the location where the hearing will take place. The bench added that the association should not use the word tribunal in its name as it is not a government-appointed body or court.

As per the petition filed by the association in 2010, the state government gave notices to villagers for acquiring their land for the purpose of building a nuclear power plant. Prohibition orders were issued for assembly of people. In June 2011, the association moved a plea before the collector of Ratnagiri for allowing them to hold the hearing. In March 2011, the plea was rejected.

The association moved the HC seeking directions to allow them to hold the meeting. The court disposed of the petitions with the directions for the authorities to consider the petitioners plea.

However, the second plea was rejected on August 17.  The villagers had already aired their grievances to the chief minister when he had visited them.