Chhattisgarh HC Initiates Suo Motu PIL Over High-Tension Electric Towers Posing Threat To Residents Of 10 Villages

A bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Rajani Dubey initiated a Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the news reports published in “Dainik Bhaskar” on April 27, 2024, concerning electric shocks/sensation being experienced by the residents of 8-10 Villages in Bilaspur.Top of Form

Essentially, the said newspaper reported that adjacent to Bilaspur Ratanpur National Highway, there are 8 to 10 villages, and in each village, there are more than 20 high-tension electric towers and, in the wires, connecting those towers, 400 to 800 KV electricity is flowing.

As reported by Bhaskar, the effect of those towers and the wires connecting them is that even the grounds near those towers are getting electrified, and an electric field is created in and around them.

The report further stated that the people passing by those towers can feel the electric current, which may be hazardous to their lives and their cattle.

It was also reported that the villagers are constrained to wear gumboots for their safety, they cannot perform any activities in their agricultural fields, and thousands of acres of fertile land lie unused without any agricultural activities being carried out.

Taking note of the hardships faced by the village residents, the division bench directed the Registry to implead Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. through the Deputy General Manager (Bilaspur) and Jabalpur Transmission Corporation Limited through its Managing Director (Mumbai) as respondents Nos. 10 and 11, apart from the Union of India and the State of Chhattisgarh.

The Court called for an affidavit from the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. through the Deputy General Manager (Bilaspur) and Jabalpur Transmission Corporation Limited through its Managing Director (Mumbai).

The matter will be heard today.