📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Mananjpatel1996
Agriculture
Chhattisgarh High Court Declines to Order Return of Unused Land for Hasdeo‑Bango Canal
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 08 Nov 2026, 04:02 AM
👁 16
The Chhattisgarh High Court ruled that it will not direct the state to return land acquired but left idle for the Hasdeo‑Bango canal project.
The Chhattisgarh High Court has refused to issue an order directing the state government to hand back land that was acquired for the Hasdeo‑Bango canal but remains unutilised. The court’s decision was delivered after petitions sought the return of the idle parcels, arguing that the acquisition had not resulted in any construction activity.
The Hasdeo‑Bango canal, a major irrigation project aimed at enhancing water supply in the region, involved the acquisition of agricultural and forest land across several districts. While the project is still in its early stages, a significant portion of the acquired area has not been put to use, prompting concerns among landowners and local communities.
By declining to order the land’s return, the High Court left the status quo unchanged, allowing the state to retain control over the parcels while the canal’s implementation proceeds. Legal experts note that the ruling underscores the judiciary’s cautious approach in balancing development objectives with property rights.
The Hasdeo‑Bango canal, a major irrigation project aimed at enhancing water supply in the region, involved the acquisition of agricultural and forest land across several districts. While the project is still in its early stages, a significant portion of the acquired area has not been put to use, prompting concerns among landowners and local communities.
By declining to order the land’s return, the High Court left the status quo unchanged, allowing the state to retain control over the parcels while the canal’s implementation proceeds. Legal experts note that the ruling underscores the judiciary’s cautious approach in balancing development objectives with property rights.