The Supreme Court today sought a response from the Centre and Haryana government on a petition seeking its directions to restrain the State government from acquiring 2,700 acres of land for a township in Rohtak.
A bench of Justice J.M. Panchal and Mr H.L. Gokhale issued notices to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Union Ministry of Urban Development and the Haryana government on a petition filed by NGO Bharat Bhoomi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti.
The NGO contended agricultural land, which is “one of the most fertile lands of India”, is being acquired for the proposed township while barren land is available in a nearby area.
“Though admittedly, there was a barren land which was available in the same tehsil Rohtak, most suitable for the purpose of acquisition for establishing the township, the government has attempted to acquire huge tracts of lucrative arable lands surrounding the same,” Mr Ramesh Dalal, president of the NGO, contended.
The Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation had acquired about 1,800 acres in Rohtak in 2006-08 for the fist and second phase of the project and is now acquiring another 938 acres for the third phase.