APSEZ in dock for work on grazing land

The Gujarat High Court on Friday sought a clarification from Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ),following a petition seeking a stay on an alleged illegal construction on the grazing land reportedly encroached by the company in Mundra taluka of Kutch district.

Written by Express News Service
Ahmedabad | April 13, 2013 04:34 AM IST

2 min read

The Gujarat High Court on Friday sought a clarification from Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ),following a petition seeking a stay on an alleged illegal construction on the grazing land reportedly encroached by the company in Mundra taluka of Kutch district.

A group of six villagers from Siracha,Kutch,filed the petition. While hearing the petition,a division bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala orally directed the APSEZ to file a detailed affidavit within two weeks.

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Pravinsinh Chauhan and five others alleged that APSEZ has not only encroached on more than 60 acres of grazing (gaucher) land,but also started constructing a residential China Colony there. Villagers had first approached the High Court in 2010 for the same issue after the grazing land was allotted to APSEZ. Following a written assurance from Adani Foundation,explaining the developmental works in the village under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR),the petition was disposed off by the court. However,according to the villagers,the company didnt fulfill its assurance.

The company had assured the court to carry out 16 types of works in the village,which included setting up of a facility of fodder for cattle,establishment of drainage,arrangement of a doctor,construction of a primary school and a crematorium among others, states the petition.

However,they have not kept their promises. Therefore,we want an immediate stay on the construction work,denotification of our grazing land and the removal of encroachments, it further states.

The petitioners have also claimed that despite several representations,the concerned authorities didnt take any action in this regard.

New portal for SMEs launched

The Small and Medium Business Development Chamber of India flagged off a new portal called http://www.doingbusinessingujarat.com at the annual SME Summit held in Ahmedabad on Friday.

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Apart from providing information on how to do business in Gujarat,the website will also provide a platform for linking businesses,encourage trade enquiries,bring together buyers,traders and exporters and will be powered by the SME chamber of India,the IITC (India International Trade Centre) along with SME export promotion council and PIAI (Packaging Industry Association of India).