Pay rent to Tarapur PAPs in 3 weeks: Bombay high court

The state government was directed by the Bombay high court on Thursday to pay outstanding rents to Tarapur atomic power project affected persons (PAPs), which amounts to Rs20.37 lakh, within three weeks.

A division bench of justice Ranjana Desai and justice RV More held that the state government was responsible for the building of alternate accommodation. Bhartiya Janta Party Leader (BJP), Ram Naik, who has intervened in the petition for the villagers, said, “The rent was to be paid to 163 families at the rate of Rs2,500 per month. That has not been paid.” 

Naik added that the project was started by the Nuclear Power Corporation, a Central entity and as per the 2003 rehabilitation policy, the responsibility of payment of rent lies with the Centre.

The bench while directing the state to make the payment, observed that it would be decided later whether the state or the Nuclear Power Corporation is responsible for making the payments and who is to bear the financial responsibility.