A committee constituted by the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF), on the directive of the National Green Tribunal, has submitted its investigation report which categorically states that filling up of Maheshwar dam reservoir in Madhya Pradesh up to elevation level (EL) of 154 metres cannot be permitted since the rehabilitation and resettlement of the dam oustees has not been done.
The report prepared by the specially-constituted committee comprising S.K. Haldar of the Central Water Commission, Ajay Mehrotra of the MoEF and collector Khargone Navneet Mohan Kothari says despite the requirement of `740 crores for the rehabilitation and resettlement of the dam affected people, only `203 crores have been released till date by project promoter S. Kumars constructing this privatised dam. The report has also accepted the fact that on August 7, 2012, hundreds of houses in the villages, affected by the Maheshwar dam, were submerged and damaged when the dam reservoir level was around 154 metres.
Earlier on May 1, 2012, MoEF had issued an order for filling up of the Maheshwar dam reservoir up to EL 154 metres. This order was challenged by the Maheshwar dam oustees.