Jharkhand HC Stays Eviction from NTPC, CCL Land Over Compensation Dispute

The Jharkhand High Court has halted the eviction of displaced families from land acquired for major coal projects in Hazaribagh and Bokaro, after petitioners alleged they were being removed without due compensation.

On 13 August 2025, the court of Justice Rajesh Kumar stayed the removal of residents from NTPC’s Pankari Barwadih Coal Project site in Hazaribagh, acting on a plea filed by Basudev Sao and six others. The petitioners’ counsel, Shreshth Gautam and Himanshu Harsh, told the court that the land had been acquired under the Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957, in 2009, but neither compensation was paid nor possession taken at that time. They said NTPC recently issued vacation notices without revising compensation to current market rates. The court ordered NTPC and the district administration not to demolish or vacate any of the petitioners’ homes until further orders, and directed NTPC to submit its reply.

In a related matter, the same bench also restrained Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) from evicting landowners in Bokaro’s Bermo area. Petitioner Vatan Mahto, represented by counsels Shreshth Gautam and Rishu Ranjan, argued that CCL had acquired the land in 1984 but never paid compensation. The petitioners alleged that CCL was now seeking eviction without settling dues at present-day rates.

The petitioners in both cases contended that acquisition rules require an agreement on compensation at the time of taking possession, and that removal without payment based on current market value would be unjust.

The court has sought responses from both NTPC and CCL, making it clear that no eviction or demolition should take place until further orders.