The Uttarakhand High Court (HC) today issued notices to GAIL India Ltd and Sravanthi Energy Private Limited in connection with setting up of a gas based power project at Kashipur in Udhamsingh Nagar district.

Hearing a PIL by News Network of India, a division Bench of High Court comprising Chief Justice, Mr Barin Ghosh and Justice Mr Sudhanshu Dhulia issued notices to GAIL and Sravanthi Energy Limited, said Mr Ravindra Bist, the counsel of petitioner.

The petition has challenged the notification of 47 acres of agriculture land as industrial for setting up of 225 MW gas based project in Kashipur.

This is on the grounds that Sravanthi Energy produced different statistics before different departments to get its project cleared, Mr Bist said. GAIL is to provide gas for the project.

Though the company entered into an ATS (agreement to sale) with farmers for 21 acres of land in 2009 but it sought permission from the state government to set up the power project on 47 acres of land, Mr Bist said.

Moreover, when it applied for environmental clearance from the centre, Sravanthi said it would produce 225 MW of power.

However, in its proposal submitted to energy department and power department of Uttarakhand government, it mentioned the project capacity as 165 Mw and 180 Mw respectively, Mr Bist alleged.

Mr Bist said the next date of hearing would be fixed later.

The matter was also raised recently by the opposition Congress which charged the state government of irregularities in notifying the agriculture land for industrial purpose. The government, however, denied the allegations.

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