NBA Action
Narmada Bachao Andolan
2, Sai Nagar, Mata Chowk,
Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh.
Telefax : 0733 - 2228418/2270014
E-mail : nobigdam
bsnl.in
Indefinite struggle of thousands of Indira Sagar dam and Omkareshwar dam oustees at NHDC
Khandwa : 4th June onwards
Dear friends,
We are writing to invite you to the indefinite struggle of the Indira Sagar dam and Omkareshwar dam oustees that will begin from the 4th of June 2007. The villagers are demanding that the Company (Narmada Hydro Development Corporation, NHDC) and the State fulfill their obligation to resettle and rehabilitate the oustees well in time before submergence. It is expected that thousands of villagers will gather from the 4th of June, in one of largest protests ever.
As you know, the struggle in the Narmada valley is in one of its most intense phases with the State attempting to complete the dams on the Narmada, and oust the villagers in the most cruel and callous manner, by flooding them out without providing them agricultural land and resettlement.
In the Maheshwar dam, the oustees are opposing the privatized Maheshwar Project promoted by the S.Kumars company on grounds of insubstantial power benefits that do not justify the submergence, a power purchase agreement that spells a potential financial disaster for the State and the people, and a complete lack of rehabilitation plan and agricultural land for the oustees. In the Man and Upper Beda dams also, the villagers are fighting for rehabilitation rights based on the allotment of agricultural land to the oustees.
The struggle in the Indira Sagar dam under the aegis of the Narmada Bachao Andolan is three years old since the NBA's involvement after the brutal breaking of Harsud, whereas in the Omkareshwar dam area, the struggle is a year old.
It may be noted that the Madhya Pradesh High Court has held that the oustees would have to be provided agricultural land as per the R&R Plan of 1993, which was submitted at the time when the clearances were obtained, and the same may not be changed by the State Government at it own free will. The clearance for the Omkareshwar project states that land is to be given to the landless labor as well. In Indira Sagar dam, where this is not a part of the policy or clearances, the landless oustees are demanding rights over the draw-down lands over the thousands of acres of agricultural land in this largest reservoir in the country, that will open every year.
To bring this struggle to a decisive point, we need your solidarity. We hope you will be with us in the days of struggle ahead at Khandwa. Please do come.
With regards,
In solidarity ,
Bhagwan Mukati, Ramkuwar, Krishna Bai, Vishramsingh Mandloi, Chittaroopa Palit, Alok Agarwal
Note:
- Khandwa is on main Mumbai – Delhi, Mumbai-Varansi rail route.
- Khandwa is 3 hours by road from Indore.
for more information about the Naramda Bachao Andolan visit 
http://www.narmada.org
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