THE CENTRE and the Gujarat Government on Thursday assured the Supreme Court that the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada river would not exceed 90 metres for the time being, as per the Court's earlier direction.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice A S Anand recorded the Governments' statement and said that the dam's height should include the 'humps' required for the safety of the structure as well as streamlining the water flow during monsoon.
The Apex Court's direction followed a petition by the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) seeking clarifications on its judgement permitting an increase in the dam's height.
Senior counsel Shanti Bhushan, representing the NBA, contended that the dam's height, inclusive of the humps, should not exceed 90 metres.
The counsel said that the construction of humps above 90 metres would result in submergence of more areas. As a result, more people would be displaced, he said.
Senior counsel Ashok Desai, who appeared on the Centre's behalf and Solicitor General Harish Salve, who represented the Gujarat Government, submitted that at no point of time the effective water-level of the dam would, at least for the time being, exceed
90 metres.
On October 18, the Court had given the go-ahead for the construction of the controversial dam up to the height determined by the Narmada Tribunal's award. It had made it clear that construction beyond 90 metres was subject to clearance from environmental
and rehabilitation authorities.
