Hearing a petition challenging a land acquisition notification filed by Susila Bilung, Durga Kishan and eight others from laing, Jhagarpur and Raiberna Mouza in Rajgangpur block of Sundargarh, the Odisha High Court on Friday granted an interim relief and stayed the land acquisition for SH-10 in laing, Raiberna and Jhagarpur. The next date of hearing is June 19.
The petitioners contended that no consultation was made with Palli Sabhas at hamlet level prior to the issue of land acquisition notification which is mandatory as per Panchayat Extension to Schedule Areas Act (PESA) 1996. Further the petitioners alleged that the invoking of urgency clause and there by not allowing the petitioners to submit objections was also arbitrary.