Calcutta High Court Chief Justice TS Shivajnanam has barred Farakka farmers’ case against Adani’s power project from turning it into a political case. At the same time, he wants to know the Indian government’s opinion about Adani’s power export within the next three weeks.
On January 31, 30 farmers filed a case in Calcutta High Court opposing the transmission line of Adani’s power project. In view of this case, a hearing was held in the court of the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court on Monday. He made this comment after observing the case during the hearing.
However, APDR’s lawyer Jhuma Sen once again drew the judge’s attention to the fact that the high-tension line was taken to Bangladesh in violation of many laws of the country, ignoring the pleas of the farmers.
Jhuma Sen said, Adani group is supplying electricity to Bangladesh through Jharkhand and Murshidabad. But Adani expanded high tension power lines without ignoring any rules. Farmers were not compensated according to rules. Fruit trees including mango trees were cut down to the farmers one by one. Requesting immediate compensation to the farmers. I am also requesting to stop power extension till the compensation is paid.
However, when the police torture was mentioned in a separate case filed by the farmers, the judge advised not to turn the case into a political case. Besides, the Chief Justice wants to know the Indian government’s opinion about Adani’s electricity export to Bangladesh.
It is to be noted that the high power cable (high tension) is going to Bangladesh from the thermal power plant of Adani group in Godda district of Jharkhand through poles over Murshidabad district of West Bengal. But the part of the district through which Adani’s power transmission line passes, Farakka, has a large number of mango and litchi orchards, and the orchardists of the area strongly objected to it. The villagers clashed with the police over this in July last year. Several villagers and police were injured. The villagers complained that Adani was forcibly taking high-capacity power lines to Bangladesh over mango-lychee plantations without paying adequate compensation.