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0420HIND 10.09.04 : The Omkareshwar and the Narmada Sagar Projects threaten the Right to food in the Narmada Valley.

The Omkareshwar and Narmada Sagar Projects are part of the Narmada Project. The Omkareshwar Project was started in November 2003 in , India. This project will submerge 93 sq. km of land which includes 5800 ha of forest lands and 30 villages in the Khandwa and Dewas Districts of Madhya Pradesh. The project is funded by India’s National Hydroelectricity Power Corporation(NHPC). Around 3024 families are threatened by eviction. Some evictions have already been carried out without proper land for land compensation. The victimised people have lost their food and water resources. Moreover 6000 families in Harsud are threatened by eviction during this monsoons as their land would be submerged due to the Narmada Sagar project. Less than a quarter of the 6000 families have moved, the remaining residents are refusing to move due to lack of proper resettlement. The state government is using armed forces to move the residents to the new township but the people have been resisting as the new township lacks basic facilities. The State destroying the livelihoods without any fair compensation, violates the right to feed themselves. Hunger and malnutrition of a large number of families are the results. International action is needed now to urge the government for the resettlement of the 3024 families affected by the Omkareshwar Project and halt the forced evictions of the families from their land in Harsud. Please write polite letters to the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh with a copy to the Prime Minister of India.

Profile The Narmada Valley Development project involves the construction of 30 large, 135 medium and 3,000 small dams on the river Narmada and its tributaries. The Narmada Project involves the construction of the largest of the dams and is being implemented by the governments of , , Madhya Pradesh and . The Omkareshwar and the Narmada Sagar Projects are two of the 30 large dams to be constructed. As a result of these projects, villages are being submerged and people are being displaced.

The Omkareshwar Project being implemented since November 2003 by the government of Madhya Pradesh and NHPC will submerge 93 sq. Km of land including up to 5800 ha of forest lands and about 30 villages in the Khandwa and Dewas districts of Madhya Pradesh and displace around 3024 families. The people in the project area own land or work as agricultural labourers. The farmers grow 3 crops a year and the Adivasi population depends on forest resources for their livelihood. In August 2003, 70 families from the village Panthiaji were evicted to make way for the inauguration of the dam site. These villagers were resettled at a site where there is no electricity and other civic amenities and it resembles a refugee camp. Each family received a plot of only 60 by 90sq. feet, which is not enough to sustain their livelihood. There is no agricultural land and no other source of employment. After the completion of the project many more will face evictions. A series of protest rallies have been carried out by farmers and others whose livelihood will be affected.

Due to the Narmada Sagar Project, the town Harsud in Madhya Pradesh is threatened of submergence when monsoons raise the water level of the dam. The dam stands today at a height of 245 metres and by the time it will be completed in 2005, it will completely submerge Harsud. In the year 2003, between March and July, 8,000 families were forced to relocate. The oustees were promised cash amounts but not sufficient to buy land equivalent to what they possessed. Most of these families have not even received the cash amounts and are being forced to live in tin-sheds, which were damaged by the storms. In cases where they were given land near Chanera, some 10 miles away, it was rocky and uncultivable without basic facilities like power, potable water and roads. On the 27th of June 2004, there was an attempt by the state government and NHDC (Narmada Hydroelectric Development Corporation ) to remove the families affected by the submergence by using special armed forces. Contingents of armed forces were placed in Harsud and the 129 villages of the Narmada Sagar area to intimidate the people.

FIAN Mandate

The Supreme Court of India’s judgement and the decisions of the Narmada Tribunal have stipulated that people affected by the Narmada project should be rehabilitated six months before the impending submergence. Forced evictions violate the human right to feed oneself and other human rights. India is a state party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and is duty bound under international law to respect the right to feed oneself.

End of Action: 10.11.04

Addresses: Shri Babulal Gaur Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shyamala, , Vallabh Bhawan, – 462004 Fax +91-755-2551781,+91-755-2540501

Copy to : Dr. Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of India Room No. 152, South Block, New , 110001 Fax : +91-011-23016857

Narmada Bachao Andolan Jail Road, Mandleshwar District Khargone, Madhya Pradesh Phone/ Fax : +91-7283-233162

Please inform FIAN about any responses receive to your fax and/or letter.

Shri Babulal Gaur Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shyamala, Bhopal, Vallabh Bhawan, Bhopal 462 004 Fax +91-755-2551781,+91-755-2540501

Dear Mr Chief Minister,

Recently I heard about the Omkareshwar and the Narmada Sagar Projects threatening the livelihood of the Adivasis. 3024 families from 30 Villages in Madhya Pradesh are threatened by eviction due to the Omkareshwar Project. There is still no resettlement plan chalked out for the families. The 70 families from Village Panthiaji have been resettled in Kothi and Bada Ganapathi resettlement sites. They have no basic facilities and agricultural land or any other source of employment, which is leading to hunger and malnutrition.

In the Narmada Sagar Project area, there is use of armed forces by the state government of Madhya Pradesh and NHDC’s in an attempt to remove thousands of families threatened by submergence. The families who were already displaced were offered uncultivable land and in some cases cash amounts insufficient to sustain their livelihood.

The government has also not complied with the Supreme Court of India’s judgement and the decision of the Narmada Tribunal on fair and just relocation of the project affected people six months prior to the submergence of villages due to the The Narmada Valley Development project.

India is a state party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights and therefore duty bound to respect the right to adequate food for all affected people. As the people are evicted from their lands and displaced without fair and just relocation, their right to feed themselves is being violated. As a person working for the implementation of the right to food, I would like to ask you to:

- Chalk out a plan for resettlement for the 3024 families of 30 villages affected by Omkareshwar Project. - Reconsider the resettlement given to 70 families of Pathianji Village. - Immediately withdraw all the special armed forces from Harsud and the 129 villages of the Narmada Sagar Dam. - Comply with the Supreme Court of India’s judgement and ensure that all the project affected people are immediately rehabilitated on cultivable land.

I would like to thank you for your attention and kindly keep me informed about the action you intend to take on this matter.

Sincerely,