NBA: Update/Solidarity
1. NBA Update: Press Release, 2nd April 06
2. Draft for protest-letter
for more information about the Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save the Narmada Movement= NBA) visit 
http://www.narmada.org
1. NBA Press Release, 2nd April 06
New Delhi
LARGE PUBLIC HEARING HELD AT THE NARMADA DHARNA SITE TODAY EMINENT PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO CONDEMN THE ILLEGAL HEIGHT RAISE AND SUPPORT THE FEARLESS ANDOLANKARIS HEALTH OF THOSE ON FAST DETERIORATES FURTHER
As the indefinite fast continued into its 5th day, and the health of the three Andolankaris – Jamsingh Navgave, Medha Patkar, and Bhagwatibehen Patidar– worsens, a large public hearing was organised at the dharna at Jantar Mantar to protest against the unjust and illegal displacement and lack of rehabilitation inflicted on the families affected by the Sardar Sarovar dam.
The Public Hearing was attended by over 500 people including those of the Narmada Valley who have now been here for 17 consecutive days. They were joined by people fighting against unjust displacement and brutal slum demolitions in cities like New Delhi and Mumbai. Experts, supporters, academicians and activists came in full force to take part in this Public Hearing. The panel consisted of eminent persons such as Arundhati Roy, CPI National Secretary D. Raja, noted socialist Surendra Mohan, Shri B.D. Sharma, human rights activist S.A.R. Geelani, actress Nandita Das, JNU Professor Jayati Ghosh, journalist Praful Bidwai, DU Professor Achin Vinaik, film-maker Sanjay Kak, writer Jai Sen, Nandini Sundar, CPI(ML) leader Kumudini Pati, Anupam Mishra, Ramaswamy Iyu, Kamal Mitra Chenoy, Prashant Bushan, S.P. Shukla, Kavita Shrivastava, Prabhash Joshi, Anil Chandhary, Bharat Ghandhi, Rajni Tilak, Retd. Jst. Rajindra Sachar, Prem Kishen Sharma, Prabhir Purakayastha from the CPI(M), and many others.
Shri D. Raja, whose party has extended support to the UPA government, clearly stated that the CPI supported the government based on its promises in the Common Minimum Program (CPM), which clearly state that eviction and displacement will not be done. He has promised to talk to the Prime Minister immediately.
The testimonials of the people exposed the injustices constantly perpetrated on the families affected by Sardar Sarovar, detailing the violations in the current clearance to raise the dam height, NBA's struggle for the past 20 years. What cannot be denied is the clear message delivered people that we will not sit quiet as democracy and peoples' rights are trampled on.
Speakers, including displaced people from the Narmada Valley, raised the following issues:
- In Maharashtra, contrary to state government claims, over 3000 families have yet to be rehabilitated, according to the report of the monitoring & evaluation body appointed by the state of Maharashtra.
- The M.P. government has not distributed even one inch of land to those who are entitled to it. Instead, illegal cash compensation is being rampantly distributed, which is a violation of Supreme Court orders.
- The Gujarat affected families face a host of problems at the resettlement sites, with serious violations such as bad land allotted, land not allotted to many eligible families, and lack of proper amenities at the sites.
- All in all, the situation of rehabilitation in all three states is appalling, with 35,000 families affected under 122 metres who have not been rehabilitated! Hence the construction of the dam should be stopped right away and people rehabilitated.
Today marks the 17th day of the indefinite dharna to protest against the illegal decision to raise the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam to 121.92 metres in complete violation of the Narmada Tribunal Award and Supreme Court judgments, and of the constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights of the people. Each step of further construction of the dam is in direct violation threatens the lives and livelihoods of thousands of families.
Dipti Bhatnagar
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Clifton Rozario
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Kamla Yadav
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2. Draft for protest-letter
Please use (and forward to other concerned people) the following draft letter (see also attachment) to send a fax message to the Prime Minister of India and to the Minister of Water Resources, in support of the Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save the narmada Movement) activists, who are on hunger strike. Demand that
- This project gets fully reviewed- before it goes any further.
- The people who are already affected by the present height of the dam get fully rehabilitated.
- The forced and unjust displacement of the people in the Narmada Valley stops immediately.
greetings,
Saline
Prof. Saifuddin Soz
Minister of Water Resources
Shramshakti Bhavan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi
Ph: 011-23714200
Fax: 011-23710804
Residential phone and fax: 011- 23782032
Dr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister's Office, South Block, New Delhi
Ph: 011- 23016857, 23012312
Fax: 011- 23019545, 23016857
Res: 011- 23015603
Dear Sir,
We are writing to express our deep anguish about the recent approval by the "Narmada Control Authority" to raise the Dam of the "Sardar Sarovar Project" from its present height of 110m to 121m.
This decision forced representatives of the Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save the Narmada Movement) to start an indefinite hunger strike on March 29th .
We understand that the further construction of this dam will cause the destruction of homes, fields and livelihoods of the people, who are living in more than 200 villages within the Narmada Valley.
The Supreme Court of India, in accordance with international law, mandated the oustees of the Narmada Valley, in its orders of October 18, 2000 and March 15, 2005, to a land-based rehabilitation.
We understand that even at the present height of the dam thousands of people in the Valley are still waiting to be rehabilitated. In this light the approval, to increase the dam´s height, means to withhold the oustees of their rights and to push the project ahead through illegal and un-institutional means.
We also understand that the people, while demanding the fulfilment of their rights, have been repeatedly facing imprisonment, lathi-charge (riot-stick) and other forms of brutal repression.
We urge you to make every effort to ensure that the violation of rights of the people stops immediately. In this context we urge you to make every effort to ensure that:
- This project gets fully reviewed- before it goes any further.
- The people who are already affected by the present height of the dam get fully rehabilitated.
- The forced and unjust displacement of the people in the Narmada Valley stops immediately.
2006 | narmada | www.agp.org (archives) | www.all4all.org