Stop Raising The Dam Height of Sardar Sarovar Project And Rehabilitate The Affected People Urgently

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Stop Raising The Dam Height of Sardar Sarovar Project And Rehabilitate The Affected People Urgently

By Narmada Bachao Andolan

16 September, 2015
Countercurrents.org

To
Shri Narendra Modi
Prime Minister
India

Sub: Indefinite Jeevan Adhikar Satyagraha by thousands of oustees at Rajghat, Badwani with a resolve not to move even in the event of heavy floods and rise in the reservoir level, until the key questions raised by the Andolan on the unlawful displacement and lawful rehabilitation of 2.5 lakh people are answered – Immediate Intervention sought.

Dear Narendra Modi Sir,

You are certainly well-aware of the decades-old controversy and the people’s movement against the Sardar Sarovar Project that has raised critical questions on the costs and benefits of mega dams, the impacts of mass human displacement, the limits and limitations of rehabilitation, serious legal violations, environmental degradation, corruption etc. The decision taken last year by the Govt. of India to complete construction of the SSP to its final height has serious implications on the lives and livelihoods of 2.5 lakh people in the valley and we would like to see your immediate intervention, to ensure that unprecedented injustice is not meted out to such a large population, that too in violation of law and judgments of the Apex Court.

It is indeed shocking to note that the Government of our country has made patently false claims that there are 0 families to be rehabilitated in the SSP-affected villages in the Narmada Valley. The truth is that there is a minimum of 40,000 families who have not yet been settled, thousands await alternative agricultural land, and many have not received anything secure for their livelihood whether it comes to fisheries, pottery or small trading, except for meager cash grants.

The people of the valley, organized as Narmada Bachao Andolan, have continuously been questioning the false declarations and unlawful decisions of the government authorities, in particular, the decision to raise the height of the dam by 17 mts which is in violation of the Award of the Narmada Tribunal and numerous judgments of the Supreme Court, especially of 2000 and 2005. The people have been asserting their right over their resources and decision-making as per the PESA Act and New Land Acquisition Act and demand complete rehabilitation of the affected people including, Land for Land and Sustainable Alternate Livelihoods in rehabilitation villages, as per the mandate of the Award.

The government’s decision to raise the height of the dam upto 138.68 mts will lead to the submergence of 244 villages and one huge township Dharampuri out of which the majority population comprises of tribal, landless, fishing and other socio-economically marginalized population. These villages would cover a population of nearly 2, 50,000 people who will be submerged along with approximately 13,300 ha of pristine forest rich with flora and fauna. In fact, the total number of displaced families by the SSP in three states will be much higher, since more than 90,000 Kms of total canal network in Gujarat will require over 1 lakh hectares of land.

We would like to highlight the fact that this is the 30th year of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, a democratic peoples’ movement that has received recognition and support from all over the world. The fact that people continue to struggle even in the 30th year points to grim reality of continued governmental indifference to some of the most basic issues and questions of entire communities. It is extremely disappointing and disturbing to witness the level of inaction, even in the face of such serious violations and official evidence of incomplete rehabilitation and glaring proportion of corruptions, under judicial inquiry. On the other hand, reports of diversion of dam benefits – water, power, command area land to companies, even as oustees continue to suffer is unacceptable.

NBA has repeatedly brought forth cogent evidence, based on official records and pointed out the multiple discrepancies involved, but the same has not been acknowledged or addressed. They have approached the highest authorities of the country including your good office and have written to you on various occasions in the past as well, but there seems to be an unwillingness to take action which implies that the government is deliberately ignoring the lawful, genuine questions and concerns of thousands of oustees and their organization. Sadly, a democracy requires that the elected government has the political will to work for people which seems to be missing in India even after 68 years of independence.

Having gone through the Report of a recent Independent Fact-Finding Team, it is clear that the large number of violations and inconsistencies must be immediately addressed by the authorities at the highest levels. I sincerely urge you to go through the Report (Enclosed) including the Conclusions and Recommendations and do all that is expedient within your constitutional and lawful authority.

Thousands of oustees have embarked on an indefinite Jeevan Adhikar Satyagraha at Rajghat, Badwani since 12th August, 2015 with a clear demand that the dam work should not proceed ahead without a participatory assessment of its implications on the people and the region; rehabilitation, with land and livelihood sources must be ensured to all and there must be no unlawful submergence without rehabilitation. The people’s demand that the NWDTA and Judgments of the Apex Court must be complied with is in fact the foremost duty of the State and the Govt. should realize this, instead of treating the Satyagraha with disdain of indifference.

I urge you to intervene at the earliest in the interest of the struggling masses and ensure that the corridors of power in the country respect the fundamental rights of the citizens. It would also be useful to further verify the claims of the Government officials, the Report of the Independent FF Committee, claims of the people on the ground, if you can be kind enough to go to the valley or at least depute senior officials from your Ministry, who can report to you for further action.