Authority: High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi
Order Date: 30.09.2026
Case Overview
- Petitioners: Md. Moazzam, Md. Arsad, and Aliza Warsi, residents of Chattibariyatu, Keredari, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand.
- Respondents: The State of Jharkhand (Deputy Commissioner, Hazaribag), NTPC Limited (Managing Director, General Manager, Additional General Manager H&R), District Land Acquisition Officer, Hazaribag, and Circle Officer, Keredari.
- The writ petition sought direction for the respondents to pay the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) Grant to the petitioners with effect from the cut‑off date 25 April 2022, together with interest at 18% per annum, and compensation for House No. CB‑694.
- Petitioners relied on RTI responses dated 24 April 2026 and 24 June 2026 from NTPC’s Central Public Information Officer, which confirmed eligibility of petitioners 1 (Md. Moazzam) and 2 (Md. Arsad) for the R&R Grant, while the claims of other family members remained pending due to incomplete documentation.
- Despite eligibility, the R&R Grant had not been disbursed to petitioners 1 and 2. The petitioners asserted that all required documents for other family members had already been submitted to the competent authority of NTPC.
Observations & Reasoning
- The Court examined the RTI letters and noted that NTPC had acknowledged eligibility of petitioners 1 and 2 but failed to make the payment.
- The Court recognized the pending status of other family members’ claims and the need for further documentation.
- The Court emphasized the urgency of complying with the R&R obligations and the statutory interest rate.
Directions
1. Respondent No. 3 (General Manager, NTPC Ltd.) or any other competent authority of NTPC Ltd. shall, on priority, make payment of the R&R Grant to petitioners 1 and 2, as confirmed by the RTI letter dated 24 April 2026.
2. For the remaining family members, including petitioner 3 (Aliza Warsi), the competent authority shall issue a communication requesting the requisite documents within three weeks of receipt of this order.
3. Upon receipt of the requested documents, the petitioners must submit them within three weeks.
4. The competent authority shall then take an informed decision on the pending R&R Grant claims within three weeks of receiving the documents.
5. The entire process – communication, document submission, and decision – shall be completed within eight weeks from the date of receipt/production of a copy of this order.
Final Outcome
- The writ petition is disposed of with the above directions, compelling NTPC Ltd. to pay the eligible R&R Grant to petitioners 1 and 2, to communicate with other family members for document submission, and to resolve all pending claims within the stipulated eight‑week timeframe.
- IA No.13851 of 2026 is also disposed of.
Topics: Rehabilitation & Resettlement, Land Acquisition, Court Order