MP minister’s appeal to end indefinite fast, sit-in of dam-affected falls on deaf ears

By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net

Bhopal : The indefinite hunger strike by senior activists Chittarupa Palit and Bhagwan Mukati of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), the organisation that has been fighting for the rights of the people affected by a series of mega dams on the Narmada river, and dharna (sit-in) continued for the 28th day today here in Bhopal.
   
The Madhya Pradesh Government's bid to break the ice by calling a delegation of NBA to discuss the issues, however, failed to yield results and the stalemate continued. A 15-member delegation of NBA today met Nagandra Singh, Minster of State for Narmada Valley Development Authority, (NVDA), and Home here at Narmada Bhavan to discuss issues pertaining to displaced families of Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar project.
   
Singh patiently heard each member of the delegation and assured them that state government had been fully sympathetic towards the families displaced due to Narmada Valley Projects. He said that judicious rehabilitation of Project-Affected Families, (PAFs), have had priority with the government and no eligible family would be deprived of the rehabilitation benefits under the state rehabilitation policy.

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He informed the NBA representatives that redressal camps would be organized in Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar project affected areas to solve the problems of the affected families within fixed time frame. The issues which need to take policy decision would also be taken care of. He said that the state government welcomes every constructive suggestion in this regard, and is always open for discussion. 
   
The  appeal of the minister to call off the indefinite hunger strike and "dharna", however, fell on deaf ears of the representatives of NBA.
   
It may be mentioned here that several hundreds of villagers affected by the Omkareshwar and Indira Sagar dams in Madhya Pradesh are on "dharna" with the hunger striker duo at the same venue here at Tin Shed after shifting their 25-day-old protest from Khandwa town to Bhopal as they failed to get any response from the state government. The affected families had started the dharna here after an impressive rally on Saturday. The present round of agitation began on June 6 in Khandwa.   
    
They also gave a 16-point charter of demands to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Chouhan suggesting measures for relief and rehabilitation of the oustees in detail.
   
The main demand of the dam oustees is implementation of the High Court order of September 8, 2006 regarding special rehabilitation package for adult sons and unmarried adult daughters of the people affected by the two projects. The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday had dismissed a review petition of Narmada Hydroelectric Development Corporation on the September 8, 2006 order, providing strength to the cause of the  oustees. 
   
Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh Government has claimed that contingency plans have been prepared to assist PAF, of the Sardar Sarover Project, (SSP), Indira Sagar Project, (ISP) and Omkareshwar Project, (OP), reservoirs in emergency situations. 
   
According to Uday Kumar Verma, Vice Chairman of NVDA, the plan is aimed at providing safety, transport, temporary shelters and other basic facilities to needy families. No village would come under submergence pertaining to these projects without prior notice, he emphasised.
   
Verma said looking at ensuing monsoon contingency plans would be made effective through District Administration. He informed that 24421 families affected by 121.92 metre dam height of SSP had been rehabilitated. In ISP 40014 families affected by dam height 260 metre had been rehabilitated. In OSP 1429 families affected by dam height 189 metre had been rehabilitated. The ISP affected families got Rs.123301 lakh as compensations, rehabilitation and special rehabilitation grants. The 1429 affected families of OSP got Rs. 2628.94 lakh.
   
He said that for judicious disposal of the grievances of the affected families, Grievance Redressal Authority, (GRA), had been constituted by the Madhya Pradesh Government. The GRA is independent in working without any interference. The GRA takes care of the complaints of PAFs and delivers decisions after proper investigations and hearings. Hundreds of the families had been found judicious disposal of their grievances. 
   
Verma appealed to PAF’s not to get confused in this matter and adopt the full proof system evolved by the Govt. He insured that no eligible family would be deprived of rehabilitation benefits. The State Government has most flexible rehabilitation policy and besides is very sympathetic to the people who are being displaced, he added. 
   
It may be mentioned here that 22 families of village Gunjari were not found original residents of the village affected by OSP submergence. Thus, they were not entitled to get rehabilitation grants. In the beginning they were misled to force their demand to be considered as PAF. Ultimately Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan sympathetically granted Rs. 25, 000 to each family, Rs. 10,000 as Revenue relief and residential plots to each family, which they happily accepted. ([email protected])

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