narmada dam action alert

STOP GUJARAT GOVT. FROM INFLICTING BLOW TO PEOPLE IN NARMADA VALLEY- SAY NO TO INCREASE IN HEIGHT OF SSP DAM FROM 90 TO 95 M.

Before any decision of war with Pakistan, in the name of safeguarding the integrity of the nation, the Indian government has already declared war against its own people. The Narmada Control Authority (NCA) has arbitrarily decided, on May 17, to raise the height of the controversial Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) from 90 to 95 meters, violating the provisions of Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal (NWDT) and ignoring the reality about the rehabilitation. The proposed height will result in the unjust submergence and displacement of about 10,000 families in the three states — Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The central government has again tried to gratify the political lust of the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, at the cost of the tribals and farmers in the Narmada valley. Narendra Modi government wants to wriggle out the tight situation it finds itself, after the ghastly Gujarat carnage, by resorting to chauvinistic sloganeering, at the cost of yet another vulnerable section of the population.

The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Digvijay Singh has come to the rescue of Modi government while the Maharashtra government has connived with the designs of Central and Modi governments. Mr ijay Singh has been perpetrating his anti-people policies and acts. The state government has also unleashed terror in the villages affected by the controversial Man dam and has been squandering the financial resources of nation for the sake of S. Kumars company in the Maheshwar Project. He has been indulging in the anti-tribal and anti-farmer policy, despite his grandiloquent rhetoric

It is inexplicable that the Government of Maharashtra was represented in the NCA meeting by an Irrigation Ministry official who gave a nod to the increase in the height. The state government has officially declared that, it would not agree to the increase in the dam height pending the report of the Task Force, which it has formed to assess the status of displacement and rehabilitation. It was very clear from the surveys by the Task Force, that there are innumerable problems regarding the number of the oustees, the land rights and their rehabilitation. The work of the Task Force is not yet complete and the Maharashtra government has not given the clearance for further work. The Chief Minister Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh to the NBA delegation, which met him on May 8, 2002, confirmed this. What has then transpired? Either Maharashtra government has been bypassed or the bureaucrats have lied, despite the decision by the Chief Minister.

The NCA, the monitoring agency itself is indulging in the illegal acts. More than 3,500 families below the height of 90 meters, in all the three states- Gujarat, M.P. and Maharashtra- are still to be resettled as per the NWDT. In such a situation, the present height of the dam also becomes a serious violation of provisions of the NWDT. There are about 7,000-8000 families below 95 meters–including those below present 90 m., but not resettled. The number of the families below 100 meters, yet to be resettled, goes beyond 10,000.

In the face of this stark reality, the decision to impose the submergence on the people is nothing less than the state terrorism by the government. The people and activists in the N ision by facing the submergence water during this monsoon. All democratic people and organizations, human rights bodies, in India and abroad, must make the government of India to stop the serious violation of the human rights of its own tribals and farmers. If the Gujarat carnage is visible and most brutal aspect of the violence, the forcible displacement in Narmada valley with the threat of submergence and violation of laws and without any sort of rehabilitation, is but a form of slow but sure genocide of the vulnerable communities in India. The Indian Government must be confronted and be asked to stop this violence and destitution of its people.

We appeal you to act immediately

• Question the Maharashtra Chief Minister and Chief Secretary, to explain how the submergence can be so imposed on the adivasis who, as the Governments own surveys show, are not yet rehabilitated. And Demand the state government to-
• Issue a public statement on the state government's position.
• Protest at the NCA and to the Prime Minister and compel the authorities to stop the construction immediately, and not to approve any further assistance to the Sardar Sarovar Project and instead compel Gujarat to use the ponded water at the present height, with a share claimed by Maharashtra.
• The M.P. Chief Minister must be confronted strongly for his betrayal of his own people and about turn from his earlier position. Mr. Singh has always claimed that the state has no land for rehabilitation and he would protect the interests of the oustees. What made him to backtrack from the position?
• To the NCA — What are the consideration to base the decision? Demand an independent assessment of the ground situation regarding rehabilitation and displacement. Why did it not have a simple courtesy to consult with the affected people?
• And the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, who is out to stop the cross-border terrorism, ask him to stop this intra-border terrorism on Indian people by the Government itself, giving out all these details on the atrocious decision.
• Register your protest at government offices, Indian embassies, consulates and in the media.

Friends, we have to stop the planned destruction and cleansing of the people in the Narmada valley. Despite the tremendous pressure and attempts by the government to displace and accept rehabilitation, people are still resisting and fighting. It is a time to be with the people, their struggle for life, their rights and resources.