The Bombay High Court has refused to grant an interim stay on the land acquisition for the Nashik Parikrama Marg, commonly known as the ring road project, which is planned ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela. Farmers from several villages, including Chandsi, Matori, and Makhmalabad, had challenged the acquisition process, alleging violations of protections granted to Scheduled Areas under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA). They claimed that mandatory procedures, such as obtaining proper consent from gram sabhas, were not followed and sought an interim halt to the project.
Court Decision and Government Response
A senior district administration official stated, "The Bombay High Court heard the petition and rejected the plea for an interim stay based on the information provided by the state government. This decision comes as a relief, as work on the project is progressing rapidly to ensure completion before the Simhastha Kumbh Mela." The court's ruling allows the project to continue without interruption, which is crucial for the timely completion of the infrastructure needed for the religious event.
Farmers' Concerns and Legal Stand
One of the petitioners, Sudarshan Patil, said while the court refused to stay the work, the matter was still under consideration. "We remain hopeful of getting justice," he said. Patil elaborated on the farmers' main contentions: "Our main contention is that the government has failed to carry out a social impact assessment of the ring road and it has taken exemption. We have also objected to the process in which the government has failed to acquire land from villages under the PESA Act, where it can do so only when all other options have been exhausted."
He also raised concerns about the lack of planning for the rehabilitation of affected farmers. "The government has not adequately addressed relief and rehabilitation for those who will lose their land and livelihood," Patil said. The farmers argue that the acquisition process violates their rights and lacks proper compensatory measures.
Next Steps
Although the petitioners had sought an interim stay on the project, the court has rejected the request. However, it has granted the state government time to respond to the issues raised in the petition. "We will wait for the government's reply and proceed accordingly," Patil added. The case remains under judicial consideration, and further hearings are expected to address the substantive issues raised by the petitioners.
