The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Court backs farmers’ right to irrigation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 17, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Court backs farmers’ right to irrigation

Mohamed Imranullah S.

MADURAI: The right of agriculturalists to enjoy irrigation facilities is, in a way, a part of the fundamental Right to Life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, the Madras High Court Bench here has observed.

A Division Bench, comprising Justice D. Murugesan and Justice S. Nagamuthu, also said that attempts to bring in development in other sectors at the cost of agriculture would prove detrimental to national interest.

They made the observations while setting aside a notification issued by a District Revenue Officer for acquiring lands, passing through two waterbodies, to widen National Highway 67 between Tiruchi and Karur.

They directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to form a committee of experts for visiting the site and exploring the possibility of realigning the road, thereby minimising the disturbance to the waterbodies.

The Tiruchi Collector and the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department were directed to extend assistance to the committee to facilitate completion of road-widening works before July based on the agreement entered with contractors.

The agriculturalists, who are the beneficiaries of the Punganoor and Kallikudi water tanks, were permitted to submit written objections, if any, before the committee, which should take them into consideration before arriving at a decision.

The orders were passed while disposing of two writ petitions.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu