State Of M.P. & Anr vs Medha Patkar & Ors

The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's order restraining the State of Madhya Pradesh from further land acquisition and construction related to the Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar projects until the Command Area Development plans are scrutinized and cleared by the Ministry of Environment and Forest under Section 3(2) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Court emphasized the necessity of adhering to the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy for affected families, reinforcing the legal obligation to provide benefits to those impacted by the projects. The appeal was dismissed, affirming the High Court's directives for environmental and social compliance.