Rajasthan high court notice to state government over farmers affected by Chittorgarh dam

JODHPUR: The high court on Saturday issued notices to the state government and district collectors of three districts, while allowing a PIL by the farmers affected by submergence area of Matrikundiya dam in Chittorgarh district.
The affected farmers, after having knocked every possible door praying for relief, moved the high court with the PIL and sought relief by demanding that directions be issued for safeguarding their agricultural land affected by the dam water.The PIL has sought a fresh survey to estimate the damages caused to them by the dam water since its construction and directions for acquisition of the land of affected farmers falling under the catchment and submergence area of the dam.
According to the counsel for petitions, Shyam Paliwal, Matrikundiya dam was constructed at the confluence of Bhilwara, Rajsamand and Chittorgarh in 1974 as an extension of the Meja Dam of Bhilwara in order to meet the water needs of Hindustan Zink Ltd and Meja Dam primarily.
“The dam has been receiving water to its full capacity almost every year, due to which the crops of the farmers in the area have suffered consistently. This has turned into huge losses to the farmers, who are solely dependent on farming and cattle rearing,” said Paliwal adding that not a single penny in the form of compensation has ever been disbursed to these aggrieved farmers.