Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court refused to intervene in the matter of constructing the Sugabathan Dam in Godda, stating that the court cannot direct the government to build a dam, as it falls under policy decisions. Following the court’s observation, MP Nishikant Dubey withdrew the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the case.
Court Calls Dam Construction a Policy Matter
During the hearing, a division bench of Chief Justice M.S. Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar clearly stated that the judiciary will not interfere in dam-related decisions and cannot issue an order to the government for dam construction. The bench noted that deciding where a dam should be built is entirely a matter of government policy.
State Refers to Earlier Petition on Chanan Dam Water
The state government, represented by Additional Advocate General Ashutosh Anand and advocate Shahbaz Akhtar, informed the court that Nishikant Dubey had earlier filed another PIL regarding the supply of irrigation water from Bihar’s Chanan Dam to Jharkhand’s Godda district.
They told the court that in 1972, there was a government proposal to build the Sugabathan Dam in Godda, with land also identified for it. The plan reportedly stated that if Godda did not receive sufficient water from the Chanan Dam in the future, then Sugabathan Dam would be constructed.
Government Seeks Dismissal, Petitioner Highlights Irrigation Need
The government argued that the High Court had not issued any directions in the earlier PIL, and therefore this petition should be dismissed as well. On the other hand, the petitioner’s counsel, advocate Diwakar Upadhyay, told the court that building the Sugabathan Dam would provide irrigation facilities to the people of Godda.
