Status quo ordered on installation of high power transmission line

Justice T Raja before whom the plea came up for hearing on Monday ordered notice to both the State and Centre returnable within a week.

The petitioners had contended that they were not provided with the relevant documents and that none of the procedure as established by law was followed.

The plea further noted that both the State and the Centre prevented them from making their objections as they were served with notices only on the previous day of the hearing days making it impossible either for them or their advocate to appear.

Further noting that they were not provided with the relevant documents which resulted in them being unaware of the route approval and map, the petitioners submitted that the above documents are necessary to identify the exact location in their lands, where the towers are going to be erected and the tower lines are going to be stringed.

The plea also stressed on using underground cables as even though the initial cost of underground cable is higher, the operating cost would be drastically reduced because the transmission loss is much lesser, if done through underground cable.

“The lands owners are never against any power transmission project and all they want is to implement them using latest technology and not through outdated tower line system,” the plea noted while adding that mere executive order not backed by any law, cannot deprive them the right of property.

The paper publication, so-called route approval, check survey, angle deviation, plan route approval are executive orders and they were never backed by any law, the plea said.