The Jharkhand High Court has stayed the eviction of displaced families from the NTPC’s Pankari Barwadih Coal Project site in Hazaribagh and from land acquired by Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) in Bokaro, after petitioners alleged they were being removed without due compensation. Hearing a plea filed by Basudev Sao and six others, the court of Justice Rajesh Kumar on 13th August 2025 restrained NTPC and the district administration from demolishing or vacating any of the petitioners’ homes until further orders. The petitioners’ counsel, Shreshth Gautam and Himanshu Harsh, informed the court that the land was acquired under the Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957, in 2009, but compensation was neither paid nor possession taken at that time. Recently, NTPC issued notices to vacate the land and houses without revising the compensation to current rates.
The petitioners argued that under acquisition rules, an agreement on compensation is required at the time of taking possession, and removal without payment at current market value would be unjust. NTPC has acquired land in Jugra and Chepakala villages for the project. The court directed NTPC to file its reply in the matter.
CCL Also Acquired Land in 1984, But Never Paid Compensation
In a separate case, the same bench stayed eviction of landowners from property acquired by CCL in Bokaro’s Bermo area, following a petition by Vatan Mahto. Counsel Shreshth Gautam and Rishu Ranjan submitted that CCL had acquired the land in 1984 but never paid compensation, and was now seeking to evict the occupants without settling dues at present-day rates. The court has sought responses from both NTPC and CCL, making it clear that no eviction or demolition should take place until further orders.
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