Narmada Bachao Andolan, Badwani. Dear all, You are well aware about the grave crisis prevailing in Narmada Valley for the last 12 days. Before some time we got the news that water level at Domkhedi has reached till chest height of the Satyagrahis who are standing there for the past many hours. Satyagrahis include Sitaram Kaka, Kamla Yadav, Dedlibai, Bulya Patil, Dadli Karbari, Khiyali, Medha Patkar and a lot of other villagers.The water level at dam site at 2.00 today (3.8.2002) was 103.436 mts and increasing slowly and it is raining incessantly the catchment area. Sukumar & Clifton ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Narmada Bachao Andolan, 62, Gandhi Marg, Badwani 451551 (Ph.07290-22464) Press Note: September 1st, 2002 WATERS RISING DANGEROUSLY WITH SATYAGRAHIS FACING SUBMERGENCE IN SARDAR SAROVAR With a firm revolve not to move and buckle under the pressure of the overwhelming submergence Satyagrahis including Dadla Karbari, Khatri Kaki, Kamla Yadav, Juggi, Ulya Patil, Medha Patkar and others at Domkhedi, and Kailash, Luharia, Bawa, Pervi, Janki, Karuna and others at Jalsindhi are standing in knee deep water protesting the inhuman and illegal submergence caused as much by the callous attitude of the States towards rehabilitation and not just the rains. The activists and affected people in direct confrontation to this injustice have resolved not to move out even if they are to sacrifice their lives- for the protection of the people and nature in the valley. The waters of Narmada after negligibly receding over last two days has again started rising rapidly and is expected to exceed 104 meters mark at Sardar Sarovar Dam site. Due to incessant rain in the Narmada catchment and release of over 2,70,000 cusecs of dam water from Tawa dam the water levels are further rising engulfing in its wake more fields and houses of adivasis and farmers. It would be recalled that between 20th and 22nd August 2002 large scale submergence was caused when the water levels at the dam site touched 103m. There is no doubt that this submergence will simply mean irreversible devastation for the dam affected peoples especially adivasis. The submergence is a result of the illegal, unjust increase in the height of the dam first from 85 to 90 meters and then to 95 meters, violating the provisions of Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal (NWDT) Award regarding displacement and resettlement. About 8000 families in 70 villages in Madhya Pradesh will be affected adversely. In Maharashtra the recently finished Task Force study has stated that atleast 1000 families yet to be rehabilitated below 95 meters height and the number may increase! This was also in violation of the directions of the Supreme Court order of October 2000. However, the Court did not act against this illegal act, even when the Narmada Bachao Andolan had approached the Court in May 2002. The people also have approached the Grievance Redressal Authority of M.P., Justice (Retd) Sohoni, on August 28, with these ghastly facts. But he chose to buy time. The Narmada Valley Development Authority chooses to "advice" the affected people that they can approach the Grievance Redressal Authority with their problems! The Sardar Sarovar and other dams in the Narmada valley are a crying shame for the human rights, justice and sustainable development in India. They represent depraved attitude and fraud by the political leadership in India and a gross failure of other Constitutional agencies to protect the fundamental rights of the depressed people of India. Narmada Bachao Andolan opposes this barbarous game with the lives of the people and with the law and justice and demands for the immediate release of water by opening all the gates. M.K.Sukumar Clifton D'Rozario Ashish Mandloi +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dear friends, This is to update you all, with the latest situation in the Narmada Satyagraha centres and other villages of the Sardar Sarovar Catchment area, where manmade devastation is on the rise. Situation of Satyagrahis: Satyagrahis including Dadla Karbari, Khatri Kaki, Kamla Yadav, Juggi, Ulya Patil, Medha Patkar, Sitaram Kaka and others at Domkhedi, and Kailash, Luharia, Bawa, Pervi, Janki, Karuna and others at Jalsindhi are standing in water for the past many hours. The water there was hip level yesterday (1st September) night at 12.00 pm. Water Level in Narmada: The water rose till hip level at 12.00 pm in 1st September. Last time when submergence occurred, on 21st August, the highest level at Sardar Sarovar Dam site 103 meters. Yesterday night it rose till 102.700 and today morning it has decreased mildly to 102.530. But at rajghat near Badwani the news is that the water level which is on 119.100 is increasing. There are heavy rains in the Nimad area and the level at Rajghat is likely to increase drastically. Loss of houses and crops: Many people lost their crop and house worth lakhs of rupees. In fact one house at Sikka got washed away by the water. The devastation is still continuing and definitely will increase. State Governments: So far there isn't any action taken by either Maharashtra or Madhya Pradesh except the arrest of 20 people on 21st August by Maharashtra Police. Four of them, Devrambhai, Pravin, Jojo and Christopher, are still in jail and the reason by the administration is that they are from outside Maharashtra! Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr.Digvijay Singh has said that people are living in Government land!! Sukumar- Ashish - Clifton +++++++++++++++++++++ Narmada Bachao Andolan, 62, Gandhi Marg, Badwani 451551 (Ph.07290-22464) Press Note: August 31, 2002 LARGE SCALE SUBMERGENCE IMMINENT IN AGAIN THE NARMADA VALLEY AFFECTED PEOPLE DETERMINED TO FACE ILLEGAL SUBMERGENCE The water level in the Narmada is yet again rising rapidly and is expected to exceed 104 meters mark at Sardar Sarovar dam site. It would be recalled that between 20th and 22nd August 2002 large scale submergence was caused when the water levels at the dam site touched 103m. The waters that caused this submergence is yet to recede and now due to incessant rain in the Narmada catchment and this compounded by the release of over 2,70,000 cusecs of dam water from Tawa dam the water levels are further rising engulfing in its wake more fields and houses of adivasis and farmers. There is no doubt that this submergence will imply devastation for the dam affected people, especially adivasis. The Satyagrahi comrades are firm on the resolve to face the unjust submergence. Main activists including Keshav Vasave, Dedlibai, Dadlia Karbhari, Medha Patkar and hundreds of others are in Domkhedi to face the submergence. The waters in Jalsindhi are also increasing. Kailash Awasia, Luharia, Bawa and others from other villages affected are there at Jalsindhi determined to face water. The people are challenging the injustice, facing the dam waters and are resolved not to move out even if they are to sacrifice their lives- for the protection of the people and nature in the valley. The submergence is a result of the illegal, unjust increase in the height of the dam first from 85 to 90 meters and then to 95 meters, violating the provisions of Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal (NWDT) Award regarding displacement and resettlement. About 8000 families in 70 villages in Madhya Pradesh will be affected adversely. In Maharashtra the recently finished Task Force study has stated that atleast 1000 families yet to be rehabilitated below 95 meters height and the number may increase! This was also in violation of the directions of the Supreme Court order of October 2000. However, the Court did not act against this illegal act, even when the Narmada Bachao Andolan had approached the Court in May 2002. The people also have approached the Grievance Redressal Authority of M.P., Justice (Retd) Sohoni, on August 28, with these ghastly facts. But he chose to buy time. The Narmada Valley Development Authority chooses to "advice" the affected people that they can approach the Grievance Redressal Authority with their problems! The Sardar Sarovar and other dams in the Narmada valley are a crying shame for the human rights, justice and sustainable development in India. They represent depraved attitude and fraud by the political leadership in India and a gross failure of other Constitutional agencies to protect the fundamental rights of the depressed people of India. Narmada Bachao Andolan opposes this barbarous game with the lives of the people and with the law and justice and demands for the immediate release of water by opening all the gates. M.K.Sukumar Ashish Mandloi Cifton D'Rozario Forwarded by: _________________________________ Ravi Khanna, Director voices from the global village 1world communication P. O. Box 2476 Amherst, MA 01004 phone: 413-253-1960 cell: 617-620-9640 fax: 413-253-1961 e-mail: oneworld@igc.org subscribe to 1world communication's listserve by send an e-mail to: 1worldcommunication-subscribe@topica.com
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