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When act of god and public interest cannot offer protection from negligence

In Vohra Sadikbhai Rajakbhai & Ors. Vs. State of Gujarat & Ors., the matter came up before the Hon'ble Supreme Court whether gross negligence in not maintaining particular level of water in the dam by the respondents; that has resulted into damage and destruction to the plantation of the appellants, causing loss of livelihood, could be said to be an 'Act of God'?" It so happened that the respondents had constructed and maintained a dam. 60,000 cusecs of water from this dam was released, which flooded the land of the appellants and destroyed the plantation therein.

The Hon'ble court while accepting the State's argument that the water was released in public interest to avert a greater disaster as the excessively heavy rain which is an Act of God had increased water level in the dam to a dangerous level, found merit in the Appellant's argument that not keeping the level of the water low in preparation of rainy season was negligence.

 Article referred: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3450460309444605129#editor/target=post;postID=8307287027159595519

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