File picture of the Vedanta Aluminium Limited plant

Cuttack, Feb. 5: An attempt by Vedanta Aluminum Limited (VAL) to draw a 33KV line over agricultural fields at Kumudapalli and Dalki Bandhatekra villages in Jharsuguda district has hit a roadblock with the Orissa High Court restraining it from going ahead for now.

VAL has an aluminium smelter project and a captive power plant in Jharsuguda.

The court imposed the interim restriction in response to a PIL filed by residents of the two villages seeking direction to stop the power line pass over their agricultural lands. The villagers apprehend danger to their lives and farmlands if the power line crossed their fields.

Padmanav Patel and seven others filed the PIL invoking different sections of the Electricity Act, 2003, to make out a case against the erection of the 33KV electricity line for power supply.

Hearing the case, the two-judge bench of Chief Justice V. Gopala Gowda and Justice B.N. Mohapatra said: “We are prima facie satisfied that the writ is maintainable as the petitioners have got reasonable apprehension of danger to their life as well as agricultural lands.”

While issuing notices to secretary revenue, secretary industries and Vedanta Aluminum Ltd on Tuesday, the high court said: “Pending consideration of the case, as an interim measure Vedanta Aluminum Pvt Ltd is directed not to draw 33KV electricity line over agriculture lands of the petitioners.”

“Section 10 of the Electricity Act prescribed adherence to Section 53 of the Act by generating companies while establishing, operating and maintaining generating stations, tie-lines, sub-stations and dedicated transmission lines. Section 53 of the Electricity Act specified provisions related to safety and electricity supply protecting the public from danger arising from the generation, transmission or distribution or trading electricity or use of electricity supplied or installation, maintenance or use of any electric line or electricity plant,” the PIL contends.

According to the petition, the petitioners had lodged an FIR at the Jharsuguda police station on October 3, 2010, after VAL contractors engaged for erection of towers to draw the 33KV lines forcibly entered their paddy fields and caused damage. They had also reported the matter to the collector the next day. However, no action was reportedly taken.