July 2005

The Struggle… The Hope…

Dear all,

It is after a year that we are coming back to you, with Narmada Samachar. The delay was due to the time and financial constraint faced as we were engaged in certain fruitful actions but much of struggle. News must have reached many of you through e-mail, media or meetings. Yet the vivid description to critical analysis, we thought, must go and find you in your own battlefields, to strengthen our ties and commitment to the common cause which is beyond Narmada - a truly just development, not only of our natural resources but human communities.

Sardar Sarovar is at a stand still again. It needs to be. It was and is illegal and unjust to push the dam height up leading to massive submergence without rehabilitation and environmental protection measures. Especially considering the enormous problems with the economics and politics of water distribution of the dam as well, this scale of human and natural destruction is unacceptable. Big dams in general and SSP or NSP in particular, are being questioned on these and more grounds, not quite monitored by the Planning Commission or the concerned Ministries either. Yet, the prolonged struggle has brought the legal violations by the governments to the fore, vindicating the NBA’s position on inadequate rehabilitation.

While there is some respite, the politics of Narendra Modi government, fooling Gujarat with the lure of Narmada dam waters as the only solution and pressuring the inter-state agencies to permit further construction is not at rest. We have to expose this in a renewed context.

The floods in Gujarat are a renewed hope for those in the Sardar Sarovar’s hinterlands because floods are an indicator for Gujarat, to turn to the right path to harness waters under its own feet. But this important fact and its relevance is being deliberately suppressed and distorted through systematic propaganda through media. You too have to join us in countering the false propaganda that flood waters couldn’t be harnessed since Sardar Sarovar is only 110 meters high!

While we continue to prevent devastation in our river valley, you are aware of the arrogance and violence of those in power to commodify our waters, to captures our rivers and carry on with the dams – large and gigantic. Many countries including Nepal, Pakistan, Germany, Brazil and others are using the World Commission on Dams guidelines but the Indian government has shelved it! Our efforts, as two of the twelve commissioners from India and a group of our activist-colleagues across the world, haven’t been of much use for our own country! But the hope lies in increasing awareness among the dam-affected as well as the drought and flood- affected, whether in Bihar or the North-east, in Narmada or in Godavari which is leading to serious questioning of the paradigm of water management. >> Page 21 Contents

Supreme Court Vindicates NBA Position...... 3 The Endless Saga of ‘Rehabilitation’...... 5 IPT Conducts Public Hearing...... 7 “Nav Nirman” (Reconstruction) ...... 9 NBA in Solidarity...... 11 The Vignettes...... 13 Events at a Glance...... 22

I Build a Dam...

The dawn breaks over the dam I build. There is no flour Published by: Narmada Bachao Andolan in the grinding stone.

Narmada Bachao Andolan I collect yesterday’s husk, ♦ C/o B-13 Shivam Flats, for today’s meal. Bhagavan Mahavir Marg, The sun rises Ellora Park, Vadodara and my spirit sinks. Gujarat - 390023 I hide my baby under a basket; Ph: 0265-2282232 [email protected] my tears beneath a grin; I go to build dam. ♦ 62, Gandhi Marg, Badwani M.P.- 451551, Ph: 07290-222464 [email protected] The dam. It feeds the sugarcane crop ♦ Maitri Niwas, Tembewadi, lush and juicy; Behind Kakawadi, Dhadgav, but I walk miles of forest Dist. Nandurbar, Maharashtra -425414 for fire-wood. Ph: 02595-220620 I water my plants with drops of sweat; ♦ Mumbai: Pervin Jehangir - (022) 22184779 dry leaves fill my parched yard. [email protected], [email protected] ~ Daya Pawar

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2 Narmada Samachar July 2005 to M.P, the govt. began drastically Supreme Court Vindicates NBA reducing families from the official lists, based on a bogus and illegal distinction between ‘temporarily’ or Position ‘permanently’ affected families. M.P argued that those affected temporarily at a certain dam height (meaning those Recent Supreme Court Judgement allotting 2 ha to major sons, families whose agricultural lands will Vindicates the People’s Cause: Maharashtra was allotting only 1 ha, be submerged for some period of time Inadequate Rehabilitation Halts the while Madhya Pradesh (M.P) refused following which the water will recede, Dam to recognise this entitlement of major but after destroying the standing sons (M.P has even refused land for crops) do not need to be rehabilitated On March 15, 2005, the Supreme the titled holders!). Now, all major before the dam height is increased. Court (SC) of India gave its sons in all states will have to be This was in clear violation of the judgement in the case filed by the allotted 2 ha of land. Award’s definition of “oustee.” Sardar Sarovar dam-affected adivasi However neither the M.P govt, the villagers of Picchodi and Jalsindhi In fact, the state of M.P has not even Narmada Control Authority (NCA) (both in Madhya Pradesh), versus the recorded all the major sons in the 193 nor even the Ministry of Social Government of Madhya Pradesh and affected villages of M.P. Thus, Justice and Empowerment (MSJ&E) other authorities. In a vindication for thousands of major sons are still left stopped this procedure even after it Project Affected Families (PAFs) who off the lists and there are many in was brought to their notice. Hence have been struggling for the last two each village. For example, there are NBA approached the Court on this decades, the Court took a very clear 300 in village Ekkalbara, 120 in issue. position on the interpretation of the Bhavaria (both district Dhar) and so Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal on. The government will have to At the 110 mts dam height, M.P had Award (NWDTA) of 1979 and include their names on the list, and reduced the number of PAFs from previous Supreme Court Judgements, then will have to locate land for all 12681 to 8406 using this artificial strongly upholding the rights of the the eligible families. Thousands of division, which is in fact a shift in PAFs to land-based rehabilitation and such families have already fallen into policy also. With this judgement M.P pointing out the grave inadequacies the affected zone at the height of will now have to resettle the of current rehabilitation efforts. It is 110m and even below; many more original figure of 12681 families important to understand that the thousands will be affected at 121 plus all the major sons that weren’t judgment conveys a serious message metres dam height. If the SC decision counted. And it will subsequently about the ground reality regarding is to be honoured and enforced, all of have to revise its estimates of PAFs rehabilitation of families affected them will need to be identified and for all future dam heights. by the Sardar Sarovar Dam vis-à- rehabilitated before the dam advances vis the false paperwork submitted any further. Thus, if enforced, the No Submergence Without by the government in order to Supreme Court’s decision is a major Rehabilitation: The Court also illegally raise the dam height. This victory for thousands of major sons strongly reiterated what is clearly verdict has far-reaching implications who have thus far been denied their spelled out in the NWDTA and and, if enforced appropriately, is a lawful land-based rehabilitation. previous verdicts: that no major victory for dam-displaced submergence, and hence no raising of populations. Below are the major Temporary or Permanent dam height, can occur until every aspects of the judgment: Submergence: The judgment also affected family is rehabilitated, the clearly reinforces what is clear from cut off being one year before actual Major Sons: The judgment brings the definition of ‘oustee’ in the submergence. The Tribunal’s out clearly that each and every major NWDTA: that there can be no stipulation, one may note is very clear son (defined as those who are over distinction between the ‘temporarily’ on the linkage between submergence/ the age of 18 at a certain point of or ‘permanently’ affected families at dam construction and rehabilitation. time) should be considered as a intermediate stages of the dam Clause XI, sub-clause IV (6) (ii) separate family and, as per the height. clearly states, “In no event shall any Tribunal’s Award, must be allotted areas in Madhya Pradesh and two hectares (ha) of cultivable, Beginning in 2002, when the Maharashtra be submerged under the irrigable land. Until now, Gujarat was rehabilitation seemed insurmountable Sardar Sarovar unless…arrangements

Narmada Samachar July 2005 3 are made for the rehabilitation of judgment proves this to be a gross villages over numerous sites as has oustees.” The judgment has defined violation that requires a major shift often happened to many displaced the concept of ‘pari passu’ and in the state’s rehabilitation policies villages, especially in Gujarat. On categorically rejected any undue haste and planning, without which the the PAFs right to choose land, the or violation of the above clause thus project cannot proceed. It is an judgement upholds the oustees’ right settling the dispute once and for all. indirect yet indisputable to reject uncultivable land, but In sum, submergence before implication of the judgment that restricts the oustees’ choice to the rehabilitation is illegal! MP’s manipulated policy of land offered by the government if it is offering people cash in lieu of land productive. It is clear from the very Petitioners in or house plots is unacceptable. The whose case the Court has given Minister for Water Resources Mr False Records And Manipulation: directives that there are PAF’s below Priyaranjan Dasmunshi also gave a The judgment reads with details and 110 mts - the number in all three direction to this effect on March 18th, references to the false records and states is not less than 10,000 PAF’s, three days after the judgment. He manipulation of facts by the of which M.P. has about 8000+ PAFs, gave directions to suspend all governments, especially GoMP since while Maharashtra is yet to procedures related to allotment of the case pertains to that state. It is rehabilitate at least 1500 PAFs, with cash compensation until further known and already exposed by the at least half of them yet to be directions. This is an important move NBA that the same is true about the recognised. In Gujarat too, there are as the government was coercing reports of each state and the central declared PAFs - but fewer - who are many families, who rightfully deserve authority also. yet to be allotted land and hundreds land-based rehabilitation, into of others who were allotted accepting cash compensation. We The obvious conclusion emerging out uncultivable lands that need to be hope this issue will not need a of detailed analysis of the changed. All those below 110 mts separate legal action. This again government’s shifting claims is that were to be rehabilitated one year leads to the requirement that the monitoring agencies including before reaching that height but this thousands of hectares of productive the R&R Sub-group, the NCA and was not done. For any future height land be identified by GoMP and be the GRA have NOT correctly increase, all those who haven’t yet made available to oustees. This land, interpreted the NWDTA and prior been rehabilitated at lower heights it should be noted, must not be the Court judgements, nor have they plus all those to be affected at the uncultivable govt wasteland or correctly monitored the R&R process. new height must be rehabilitated grazing land, which is currently in At last the voices of the PAFs have BEFORE proceeding. the govt’s “land bank”. It should be been heard. implied by the Court’s decision that Land Based Rehabilitation: The those who have already been cheated Hence, the judgment demands that land-based rehabilitation provision of by the government and paid only a the governments correct and NWDTA has been emphasised pittance in cash instead of alternative update their records and lists, and without a doubt. The Court has land should be offered the option of then identify cultivable land for underlined the Tribunal’s provision land instead. rehabilitation. In fact, a of offering only cultivable and Rehabilitation Master Plan is much irrigable land, indicating that In Maharashtra too, identification of needed and though mandated, has anything else is not acceptable and adequate land for many declared and not been made till date. There is no can be rejected by oustees. It is also undeclared PAF’s at 110 mts and doubt that the dam cannot be made clear that the alternative land higher heights is yet to be done. raised beyond 110 mts at this point for agriculture should be allotted to of time. a PAF, at least one year before In Gujarat, as against the claim of submergence while full complete rehabilitation, the All this means that a massive resettlement is to be completed at uncultivable land already allotted rehabilitation effort on the part of the least six months before. needs to be exchanged for good land. state governments is required if the dam is to legally move ahead. Given In Madhya Pradesh, No PAF has been Resettling As Village Units: The the enormity of this task, and the offered or allotted cultivable land judgment also upholds the NWDTA other questionable aspects of the (with the exception of a few of the principle that villages should be project, it is not too late to halt petitioners in this very case, and that resettled as village units as far as further construction and focus on too because of the case). The possible. This means not breaking up >> Page 8

4 Narmada Samachar July 2005 last few years, blocking natural drains The Endless Saga of without adequate alternatives. They are the snake-like network of the Narmada canals, the express high way, ‘Rehabilitation’ and many more symbols of the so- called development. If we probe deeper we see a whole lot of disturbed The Devastating Floods And Water site has not crossed 115m while it was rivers in Gujarat were numerous logging In Gujarat over flowing upto 118m last year. Why dams are built, the Sardar Sarovar is it that there is no talk on the leading the list. Whether there is Towards the end of June 2005, wastage of immeasurable amounts of heavy or light rainfalls, floods and normal life was in Doldrums in most water that has got lost (outside water logging have become a of South Gujarat due to Narmada) during this year’s floods? common feature during the monsoons unprecedented floods. Thousands of It is an open truth that due to the wherever planners have unwisely families had to be evacuated to save overarching concentration on one intervened in nature’s course, life even as properties and belongings single project (SSP), the govt. lost whether it is Bihar or Kerala, worth crores of rupees had been lost. focus on harnessing the numerous Uttaranchal or Gujarat. While we are in solidarity with the waters that are available in Gujarat affected people of Gujarat, we do during monsoon, through various The dailies of Gujarat quite obviously raise questions to the rulers and sustainable, low cost, more focused on the wastage of water due builders. Why is it that no one could employment creating methods and to the overflow of the Sardar Sarovar predict or prevent such loss and technologies. It is to be understood as if a completed dam would have suffering due to floods that occurred? clearly that media campaigns prevented the floods. They quite Even though the rate of rainfall was targeting SSP are deceptive and notoriously kept silent on the higher that normal this year, there wedges all attempts at creating possibilities of utilizing the was huge crop loss last year also. alternative, sustainable, cost- tremendous quantities of water that While government may blame it on effective and people-friendly poured from the sky. If the policies on nature’s fury and the incompletion of solutions to Gujarat’s legitimate water harnessing are going to remain the SSP, there is more to it than water requirements. the same, we are in for more trouble. meets the eye. Devastation by water is of many A study conducted by NBA on the While the people of Gujarat were kinds, the most dreadful being situation of canal construction in the flooded and submerged, the rulers Tsunami and high floods. But what R&R sites in Gujarat clearly were using this opportunity to ensure happened in Gujarat is not just floods predicted that there will be disastrous the creation of public opinion i.e. an over flowing due to the rise in water-logging and crop loss due to (through media) supportive of the river water levels. The disaster was the retention of floods waters as the destructive SSP. They were harping acute not only because of heavy canal network has blocked the natural on how water got wasted in the rainfall but also due to blocks drains in most places. Last year, the Narmada because of the incomplete created in natural drains. Even now Main canal breached in three places. dam! rural areas are facing severe water This year there is already disaster and logging and huge crop loss the monsoon has just begun! For any ordinary observer, it is (especially many of the R&R sites of obvious that the floods happened not the SSP affected adivasis) whereas in It is high time that we learn to much in Narmada district but more the cities waters have receded, much harness water locally and plan so in Vadodara, Surat, Kheda and to the relief of the people. In the rural development in tune with the other districts. Though the city areas, some of the affected regions geography and problems of specific dwellers were able to briefly have been under canal irrigation (of regions. The campaign for a change experience the afflictions that the various projects) for many years and in both state and national policies adivasis in the Narmada Valley are hence have become prone to water on water management, flood going through (from 1994 onwards), logging. control, disaster management and this time it is not the Narmada River relief and rehabilitation operations but other rivers and their catchments The most important thing to note in has to be intensified before we get that were flooded more. Even now, South Gujarat is the kind of into a point of no return. the water level at Sardar Sarovar dam structures that have turned up in the

Narmada Samachar July 2005 5 Disaster Yet Again Hits SSP water marketing than ensuring the humiliate and criminalize the affected Resettlement Sites in Gujarat availability of sufficient, sustainable persons. and affordable resources to the As South Gujarat reels under floods citizens? While that may happen only Current Resettlement process in and water-logging, nearly 6000 SSP through local initiatives involving Maharashtra affected adivasi families who are people, we believe that the benefits resettled in Kheda, Vadodara, from mega projects are not only un- The Bhoomi Haq (Land Rights) Narmada, Baruch and Surat districts sustainable but also destructive. Satyagraha at Somaval in Taloda (out of a total of more than 10,000 taluka of Maharashtra went on for families settled in over 7 districts) are Faulty Electricity Cables Cause Fire more than a month. (May 7th to June facing a severe livelihood crisis with in Resettlement Site – Homes and 10th, 2004). The struggle has forced most of their monsoon crops Property Worth Lakhs of Rupees the administration to purchase destroyed. Last year, NBA conducted Destroyed private lands in Vadchhil and Vadi a sample survey of 10 R&R sites with Javda villages, as desired by the about 200 families in Vadodara On April 3, 05 two houses were fully adivasi PAFs of Maharashtra. In district, who were affected by water- charred to the ground, and another Vadchhil some 250 families have logging and crop loss and found that two were partially burned in a fire received land and in Javda vasahat, just in terms of the prices of seeds caused by low-hanging electricity more than 500 acres of land has been and fertilizers there was a cumulative cables at Thuvavi Rehabilitation site, purchased and have been made loss of nearly 5 lakh rupees. This will Dabhoi taluka, Vadodara district, available to around 200 families. play a major role in the pauperisation Gujarat. For the thirty-one people in of those severely affected as most of four families who have lost their All this has been possible because of the money had been borrowed either possessions in the fire, this will be the ongoing struggles of the people. from bank or moneylenders. The the second time they will have to On one hand are the victories but on Government or SSNNL had not given rebuild their lives. After the loss of the other hand are the battles yet to any relief to the PAFs last year. The his family’s last remaining resources, be won. Vadchhil vasahat is facing officials shy away from the problem one of the PAFs said, “We feel like serious shortage of water for drinking by saying that flood are a natural dying”. and irrigation. A few months back, disaster and that PAFs are not the their water pumps have been stolen. only ones who are affected. PAP in Gujarat Jailed for Electricity Meters have not been Demanding Fast Redressal of His made available and other amenities This argument is a serious violation Grievance like drainage, sanitation facilities, of the NWDTA provisions and State cremation grounds are yet to be Rehabilitation Policies that ensures Kantibhai Rumal of Savli constructed. Even after shifting to an improvement in the livelihood Resettlement site, (originally from Vasahat, people have not been issued standard of the PAFs who are affected village Mokhadi in Gujarat) was Land Rights in their names. In few by the SSP. Not only that people are arrested for threatening to commit cases, even after being declared as a cheated in the process of land suicide in the Sardar Sarovar dam. PAP (Project Affected Person), people allotment, but also the field canal- These are gestures of resistance by have not received land or other network intended to help the oppressed individuals who are facilities. populations has blocked most of the driven by absolute despair. No minor natural drains resulting in organization suggests, encourages The construction of Javda Vadi was water stagnation on the agriculture or condones the practice and decided in April 2003 but fields. The canals have breached in politics of suicide, but every government had been delaying it several places causing severe damage organization, is obliged to consider without any reason. The people had to crops and houses. who is responsible for producing to face the hardships of floods last conditions that force people to year and this year also because of the While the free water received during extreme measures. This incident is delay. In such a situation, people monsoon goes waste, the people are the 4th of its kind in the last two were temporarily shifted to transit supposed to buy water from the years, including the suicide attempt camps where even water facilities canals or from local landlords for the by 15 youths in December 2003. In were not available. People facing winter cultivation. Is it not clear from each of these incidents the such hardships have been forced to this that the government is more government has tried to scare and construct their houses there. interested in profit-making through suppress the real issues and >> Page 8

6 Narmada Samachar July 2005 Desperate Attempts to campaign, the column showing ‘0’ government websites in spite of the balance has been removed from the Raise the Dam Height Supreme Court verdict making it status chart of rehabilitation at evident that rehabilitation has not 110.64m, but the false figures of 8860 in M.P instead of the 12681 remain. Even though it is clear that the dam been completed, and even though it The figure of 8860 is false as it is height cannot legally be raised at this has been brought to the notice of the achieved through a deliberate under- stage, the Sardar Sarovar Narmada concerned authorities. Nigam Ltd (SSNNL), the Government counting of PAFs using temporary or of Gujarat and Chief Minister Modi are permanent and other such artificial The information first appeared on the factors, which shows an attempt at all desperately trying to get a height website of the Narmada Control raise sanctioned. Thus, it is evident diluting the state’s rehabilitation Authority (NCA), where it was policy. In May 2003 (one year after that they have little regard for the law incorrectly shown that the balance of and are intent on raising the dam the first introduction of the temporary families remaining to be rehabilitated or permanent distinction at 95 and height even without the just and legal under dam height 100 meters and 100m), the 110m PAF list drops rehabilitation of all affected families. In 110.64 meters (current height) was “tentatively” by over 7,000 families fact, some unidentified officials have ‘zero’. As noted by the recent (from 12,681 to 5,607) and now been making statements in the press Supreme Court judgment among increased to 8860 on the website. that can clearly be considered as others, this is clearly untrue and false. More like taking a bail against ‘Contempt of Court.’ For example, on In Madhya Pradesh alone, thousands further embarrassment the following March 25, an Indian Express story of families are living in villages of footnote is given in the website home quoted an official as having said, ‘’ Jhabua, Dhar and Badwani districts page: our government could have avoided who are affected at 110.64 meters and this predicament had it tried to have whose rehabilitation is still pending. an early meeting with the NCA and An estimate of the number is over “Disclaimer: Data and information regarding resettlement of Project obtain its nod to raise the dam height 10,000 families, and yet when you Affected Families (PAFs) concerning before the Narmada Bachao Andolan access the information on NCA’s Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) are moved an application in the apex website, even three months after the provided for informational purposes court.’’ verdict, it shows you the number of only, and are not intended for any balance families as “zero”. The attitude is clearly that the dam other purpose. Neither Government must go ahead by hook or by crook, of India/State Governments nor any As a result of our campaign against of the data or content providers shall even if it means circumventing the law this ‘website drama’, the NCA first and neglecting rehabilitation and be liable for any errors or delays in removed the data from their website the content, or for any actions taken environmental regulations and altogether, instead putting up old data in reliance thereon. By accessing ‘throwing good money after the bad’. showing the rehabilitation status at this site, a user agrees not to 95m of dam. Meanwhile, the disputed redistribute the information found The NCA Website data appeared on the website of the therein. Government of India/State Drama: Right to Ministry of Social Justice and Governments shall not be liable for Misinformation? Empowerment (MSJ&E)! Then it also any damages or costs of any type reappeared on the NCA website and arising out of or in any way In November 2004, a press release continues to be there till today. It has connected with use of the from the Prime Minister’s Office stated repeatedly been brought to the notice information or any loss to any that all information regarding of all the concerned authorities that person caused by any shortcoming, rehabilitation should be placed on this information is completely false, defect or inaccuracy in the government websites, since the but to no avail. It continues to be on information available on website. Narmada Bachao Andolan has been the website, and used as a See http://socialjustice.nic.in/ constantly disputing the official justification to push the dam forward. NARMADA/home.htm Is this the figures of rehabilitated families. What In the MSJ&E website, due to our Right to Information or Right to followed was a charade that continues Misinformation? until today, as incorrect and false information has remained on

Narmada Samachar July 2005 7 The IPT has brought out a IPT Conducts Public Hearing comprehensive report of the latest situation of rehabilitation in SSP and the report was released on 8 February In September 2004, a team of panelists lack of proper civic facilities like 2005 in New Delhi. The report consisting of Mr. Harsh Mander, Dr. drinking water, electricity, ‘pucca’ criticizes the governments for non- B.D. Sharma and Ms. Chitra Palekar, roads to the sites, approach roads to compliance with the NWDTA and constituted by the Delhi-based Indian fields, cremation grounds and appeals to the Supreme Court to Peoples’ Tribunal, visited communities grazing land. ensure justice to the affected affected by the Sardar Sarovar Project populations. Urging the judiciary and (SSP), and attended three large public The most serious concern was the political leadership to intervene hearings. brought by Raijikaka, in the matter, Mander said his group Bhaghawanbhai and others of Gadher would send copies of the report to On September 6th and 7th, they held and Vadgam villages who have President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Prime public hearings in Khaparkheda returned to their original village due Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA village, tehsil Kukshi, district Dhar, to lack of sufficient livelihood. They Chairperson Sonia Gandhi as well as Madhya Pradesh, Nimgavan village, said that forest officials have to the Supreme Court Chief Justice tehsil Akrani, Nandurbar district, threatened to burn down their houses R.C. Lahoti. It felt the apex court Maharashtra and Parvetta-2 if they don’t return to the R&R sites. should take the violation of its order rehabilitation site in Sankheda tehsil The government argues that since the as a contempt of court. of Vadodara district, Gujarat. people have already accepted the “When (Booker Prize winner) lands offered to them, they have no Arundhati Roy questioned the court Kishorbhai from Kharya Badal, a right to return to their original order, the court said it was a forest village and the first affected villages. According to the policies, contempt of court. And when the village of Badwani district, explained the people can have access to their same verdict was violated [by the how his fields with standing crops lands previously owned till they get government], why did the court not were destroyed this year and the M.P. submerged. This is being denied even take note of it?” asked activist Swami government has never offered any as the forest officials encourage Agnivesh. compensation. In fact, even the land people from other villages to stay and acquisition process in the seven forest cultivate and take bribe from them. villages of Badwani district has not been done properly. People were Many PAFs in Gujarat insist that the The Chixoy Dam Legacy distraught as they narrated the government has tricked them in land Issues Study devastation of their fields, crops and selection. They were shown the lands homes, many of which have been during Feb-March when the winter This report on Guatemala’s affected every year since 1994. They cultivation was about to be harvested. Chixoy Dam reveals the full talked of faulty level surveys, lack of The hill tribes of the valley easily fell extent of social injustices proper ‘tapu’ surveys, inadequate or into the trap after seeing the standing resulting from the project, and lack of land-based rehabilitation for crops of original owners, as they had recommends legally binding declared people who chose to be no idea about agricultural issues in reparations for those harmed by settled in their own states and the the plains in varying seasons. With the 22–year–old dam. The dam alarming number of undeclared crop after crop failing due to water was built by the military people still left in the villages. logging or lack of irrigation and government of the time with desperate to earn a decent and World Bank and the Inter– Most people from resettlement sites dignified livelihood, they sought to American Development Bank complained that the land allotted to cultivate the areas in their original support. More than 4,000 them was uncultivable or villages that have not yet come under people were affected, and 444 unproductive, affected by a host of submergence. The government ought people were massacred after problems such as water logging, daab to provide income security to PAFs resisting forced resettlement. grass (a dangerous weed), was less rather than kicking them out of their productive etc. Appropriate irrigation original lands. For the report, please visit still remains a dream for most PAFs. www.irn.org Many also brought up the issues of

8 Narmada Samachar July 2005 >> Page 4 an explanation for the ex-parte >> Page 6 allotment of un-cultivable land. They taking the available waters to the demand rehabilitation on ‘cultivable, In both these vasahats, NBA runs the drought prone regions of Kutch and irrigable’ lands where the families Jeevanshalas, which are partly shifted Saurashtra. This will save the lives can gain a secure, sustainable from the original villages. In Vadchhil, and livelihood of more than 25,000 livelihood and as much as possible, people from Domkhedi, Nimgavan, families who are yet to be affected by community-based rehabilitation. In the Surung have been shifted and in the dam. The final intended dam existing context this is possible only if Javda Vasahat people from Bharad, height is 138.68 mts (i.e. 28 mts yet to the government buy good private Savariya-Digar, Atti, Keli, Thuvani etc be built). So far at 110m, nearly 22,000 agricultural lands. have been shifted. Few people from families are affected of which the Savariya-Digar refused to move out as governments are able to resettle only Earlier, ex-parte land allotment had they were not allotted house plots in about 12,000 families, which has also been made for the 14 declared Javda. created many unresolved problems. Jalsindhi PAFs in Khajouri, almost Does the government have the 150 kms away from the Narmada Because of the low ground water necessary political will and capacity to River on the Rajasthan border. There table level in rehabilitation site of complete all these tasks before the the land is good but local villagers Vadchhil, NBA has decided to initiate dam is taken ahead? who are doing sericulture in those watershed programmes as also in lands may create problems for the other vasahats and training camps for Latest following The March 15th new comers as is happening organic farming. Judgement… elsewhere. Moreover there are un- declared families in Jalsindhi who are Along with the rehabilitation work, Since the Court order was to allot filing a case in the Supreme Court to the work of the Task Force formed on cultivable and irrigable lands to the be declared. By the time they get the directions of Daud Committee is petitioners i.e. 23 PAFs from declared, their parents or cousins will continuing. Around 127 PAFs whose Picchodi and 14 from Jalsindhi already be settled in a place where names had been left out of the within three months of the Judgement there will be no more space for the declared list have been included. i.e. 15 June, the M.P government had newly declared families, thus Majority of the 9 villages in started the process to buy private breaking the community. The Akkalkuva and Bhadal in Akrani are lands for rehabilitation. But on the Jalsindhi people want the government yet to be rehabilitated. Fight for their last day of the three month period, to buy good private lands closer to rehabilitation is continuing. after failing to buy adequate their relatives where it is possible to productive private lands, the rehabilitate all the families as one The Collector’s Office Task Force had government ex-parte allotted unit. Even after 20 years of struggle, not declared many people who are uncultivable grazing lands from their they still await appropriate, eligible to be declared in the list of land bank to 18 PAFs from Picchodi community-based rehabilitation. people aged above 31. This act of village (district Badwani) in Dhar injustice was made public and district about 150 km away! It is quite evident that the government presented before the Commissioners Ironically, the Grievances Redressal could not comply with the SC order. If and in Mantralaya, Mumbai. As a Authority in M.P had earlier rejected the M.P government has failed in a result, 94 PAFs, whose lands were the very lands during its first order small task of providing good lands for already submerged, were declared. stating that grazing lands should not Jalsindhi and Picchodi, how can the be allotted. This was in the context of people trust them for the massive conflict that arose between local Large Dams for task of rehabilitation that is at villagers and PAFs when they went to hand. With the new Supreme Court Hydropower in North- see the land. verdict, the SSP PAFs in M.P are East India legally empowered for land based A Dossier Moreover 23 families were to be rehabilitation, not only those who Published by: South Asia given land and there are many more filed the case but all PAFs who are Network on Dams, Rivers and families under 110m in Picchodi eligible according to the NWDTA, People & Kalpavriksh itself. On the basis of non- the number being more than 8000 For copies: SANDRP, 86-D, cultivability of the land, the 18 PAFs families under 110m and 35,000+ in AD Block, Shalimar Bagh, have not accepted the offer of NVDA M.P. with 40,000+ in three states at Delhi – 110068 Email: and instead send a notice demanding full dam height. [email protected]

Narmada Samachar July 2005 9 Parashi Vasave of the same “Nav Nirman” (Reconstruction) Jeevanshala participated in 400 and 800 m dash and 10 km marathon in 2004. He won Rural Narmada Nav Nirman Abhiyan Shahada tehsil in Nandurbar district Athletics events – Silver medal (NNNA) and the one from Bharad to Javda [presently staying At Prawara Nagar rehabilitation village. Presently Sports complex]. Other students who The NNNA is a recently set-up trust workshops and training programmes won laureates in athletics are to further our engagement in the are being carried out in the schools Hanumanta Surajya Vasave (400m, constructive activities of the and almost 1300 children are 800m, 5000m marathon, Maharashtra Narmada Bachao Andolan. The receiving the ‘knowledge of life’ at state level winner), Magan Gorji trustees of the NNNA include many the Jeevanshalas. Vasave (400m and 800m, won PAPs from affected villages like Malegaon Sports Marathon, Nashik Ashish Mandloi from Chota Barda, Since 1991, when the battling Marathon) and Rajesh Singa Padvi Kailash Avasya from Bhilkheda, communities of adivasis decided to (200m, 400m, marathon, won the Mohan Patidar from Bhavaria (all have educational endeavours of their Malegaon marathon, qualified for the from Nimad) and Keshav Vasave from own, Jeevanshalas have been Ahmednagar Sports Academy). Nimgavan village (Maharashtra). working as the only source of Apart from them Vijaya Chauhan, Suniti S R, Sanjay Joshi and Shyam education in the Narmada valley. Hands on Health Patil complete the core team of Starting with 2 schools at Nimgavan Trustees. Pervin Jehangir functions & Chimalkhedi, the number of Over the last year, NNNA activists as the Managing Trustee. Jeevanshalas has now grown to 15 have been working relentlessly to by this year. The local teachers, who improve the health conditions of the Jeevanshalas – Excellence of a are the teacher activists, have been villages in and around the Narmada Different Quality teaching in the schools with full Valley. The doctors have been commitment & dedication towards successful in overcoming and curing At present the NBA is effectively their own community. Our diseases such as scabies and running 15 schools - Jeevanshalas consciously adopted methodologies, epidemics such as malaria that have (‘life schools’) all along the interior, such as using tribal dialect, mother become more prevalent because of tribal regions of the Narmada Valley. tongue for teaching first generation the stagnant waters of the reservoir. Though the state governments do not learners from the Adivasi yet properly acknowledge these communities have had a good impact In keeping with their aim of trying schools, they have produced many towards strengthening the to make the people self-reliant, the brilliant students and even a few star educational base. The progress of the ‘Vaidu’ (traditional healers) training athletes. At least 13 of the SSP Jeevanshalas during the last 14 years program was launched. Under this affected students of Jeevanshalas has become a source of inspiration program, almost 200 traditional children have been chosen to for others who have been working in tribal health workers were trained at participate in various sports at the the field of alternative education and four personal health centres in national level, with some of these the schools have become a center of various allopathic and Ayurvedic children winning the sports overall social unity & power for the medical processes and in the scholarships (of ‘kreeda procuring of traditional medicine. Adivasi communities who participate probodhini’) where they undergo in the running of the schools. training along with their studies in To help in this cause, the Abhiyan is places like Pune and Akola. (See trying to provide these health Bhimsing Parshi Vasave, student of table below) workers with a language module in Manibeli Jeevanshala participated in the local “pavri” language that As people are shifted from original 400 and 800 m dash in 2003 and won includes medical terms and villages to resettlement sites, we are Bronze medel in 400m, Silver in 800m interactive lessons for health moving some of the Jeevanshalas and selected for Olympics training workers. with them. The school at Nimgavan camp [presently staying at will be completely shifted to Balewadi National level sports Recently the Abhiyan has started a Vadchhil rehabilitation village of complex-Pune]. Similarly, Gulabsing health care centre at Kumbhari, an

10 Narmada Samachar July 2005 interior village in the Akrani Tehsil. Caste Certificates - en bloc! named after Shobha. This initiative is Here every Sunday a diagnostic done through the Narmada Nav health camp is held for 9 villages. Among its numerous constructive Nirman Abhiyan. The facilities include pre-natal and activities, the Narmada Nav Nirman post-natal check ups, follow up on Abhiyan has now taken up the malnourished children, reference responsibility of providing adivasis Narmada Beckons – Youth services for people who require of almost 64 villages with caste Participation in the Narmada surgical treatments or with chronic certificates. These certificates that Struggle problems along with general identify people as tribals are of great treatment for less serious patients. importance to the people for proving The number of youths and These health camps have seen very their eligibility for the various researchers coming to the Narmada good responses from the people, government schemes for the valley for voluntary work and to which have given encouragement to Scheduled Castes and Tribes (SCs understand the struggles of the the activists and doctors to keep up and STs) as well as for admissions to people is ever increasing. Youths the good work. various educational and professional from various backgrounds and institutions. This importance is well nationalities keep coming to the Dr Revati Joshi, Dr Ujjwala Dakare understood by government officials valley to participate in the struggle, and Dr Pallavi Raut, who have first which has led to immense corruption understand the issues that affect come to the valley during the 2003 and red tape in the distribution of people, to learn about dignified ways monsoons, have continued to work certificates, thus costing each of fighting the destructive powers, on the health front. individual almost Rs.1000 if s/he strategic actions for initiating policy were to approach the officials changes and alternative Experimention in Wind Energy directly. The NBA having identified reconstruction. Begins this problem has taken up the responsibility of distributing these Youths, apart from their After the successful working of the certificates to the people of 55 temperament for exploration and Micro-Hydel electricity project in villages in Akrani and 9 villages in philanthropic concerns, are serious Bilgaon the Narmada Nav Nirman Akkalkuva tehsil of the Nandurbar about learning more and more about Abhiyan activists have now taken on district. The bulk of these the faulty development triggered by the responsibility of generating certificates (almost 8000) are already a blind scientific positivist paradigm electricity in another forest village, ready and the rest will be completed and the neo-liberal global politics of Trishul. Here it has been decided to soon. A government official has also resource appropriation and use wind power to generate put forward a helping hand in the environmental and social costs that electricity. Michael and Shivani process thus encouraging the are to be paid. An increasing interest Patel who work on alternative life activists to keep up the good work. to explore alternative ways of living and energy in Gujarat, along with in all aspects of life is being Mark and Richel Pitter, PhD Eminent dignitaries distributed the encouraged as a result of this students, undertook surveys first few certificates on the 12th of realisation. Youths with varying regarding wind speed. The response May at the inauguration of the skills and knowledge have a lot to of this survey was positive and NNNA at Dhadgaon. The rest of the contribute both in campaign and re- proved the efficiency of wind power certificates will be distributed by the construction actions. in this area. Accordingly, a activists personally in the villages workshop was arranged in Dhulia itself, saving the people the trouble The twenty years of persistent (Maharashtra) to train and inform of travelling to the tehsil. campaign has helped in spreading activists. The study showed that at awareness about the real dangers least one windmill will be required Shobha Wagh Library at Bolthan that await the modern world, per 100 people and the entire village especially the poor. Today University will require at least 3 windmills. The In memory of Shobha Wagh, a textbooks include chapters project is due to be launched within committed activist of the NBA who explaining the NBA cause and a year’s time. In the meantime, the met with a tragic death by drowning researchers are interested in getting struggle to electrify other villages is at Domkhedi village in 2003, NNNA is to the depth of issues towards finding still on. starting a library in memory of her, at solutions or alternatives. There are Bolthan, her birthplace in Maharashtra. The library will be >> Page 21

Narmada Samachar July 2005 11 NBA joins other organizations to NBA in Solidarity welcome Rozgar Adhikar Yatra

NBA participated in the 50 day The people of the Narmada Valley Private security guards keep people Rozgar Adhikar Yatra (Right to have received support from hundreds off the land and harass the women. Employment Campaign) as it passed and thousands of people from all over Men, women, children, babies, old through Gujarat and Madhya the world in the last 20 years. The people, and pregnant women- no one Pradesh. The yatra was taken out to NBA, in its turn, has tried to return has been spared in this brutal consolidate the campaign for a full- support and solidarity to other demolition drive. fledged, universal and irreversible communities and movements across Employment Guarantee Scheme. It the country. This past year, the NBA The NBA, who understand the also seeks to affirm the right to work became very involved in giving trauma of displacement very well, as an as aspect of the fundamental support to the slum-evicted have been supporting the slum- right to live with dignity. communities of Mumbai. dwellers of Mumbai, by joining in their actions, sharing and discussing We are in solidarity with the Rozgar Since December 2004, the their 20 years of experience with Adhikar Yatra and do not want any government of Maharashtra have these communities. dilution of the Employment undertaken massive and large-scale Guarantee Scheme. demolitions in the slum communities NBA in Tsunami Relief of Mumbai. Over 90,000 homes have NBA Team Against Coke: been demolished, evicting 3½ lakh Participation in Janadhikar In January 2005, a Team from NBA people from their homes and hearths. Satyagraha had visited the Tsunami affected In spite of the fact that the Congress- areas in Tamilnadu and extended NCP government’s election-winning support to the affected. Whether A 101 days National resistance – position was that they would not developmental or natural, any Janadhikar (peoples’ power) touch any slums that they established uprooting of communities leading to Satyagraha- is on under the banner of before 2000, the government went dispossession needs our immediate NAPM in solidarity with the adivasis back on its word barely 2 months priority in planning and action. The of Plachimada (North Kerala) after coming into power, thanks to devastation due to tsunami is not so fighting against the Hindustan Coca the votes of the slum dwellers. much due to the earthquake near Cola Beverages Ltd. A team of 26 Indonesia and the resultant giant people from NBA participated in the From December onwards, thousands th th waves but due to the pathetic state of same from May 30 to June 7 05, and thousands of families have been our disaster warning system and lack which was conducted in front of the rendered homeless. Some of them, of clearly worked out policies and State Secretariat in like those at Rafiq Nagar and Sathe structures for relief and Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Nagar still live on the same land, but rehabilitation. Though the Prime Kerala. even their modest homes are gone, Minister wisely denied the relief and they instead live under support offered by the US, even 7 The NBA believes that the struggle tarpaulins. The malicious attitude of months after the disaster, many who against Coke as well as Pepsi, the the government is visible by the survived the Tsunami still await bottled water, is one against global amount of filthy garbage, which has appropriate rehabilitation and secure imperialism and its offshoot, the been dumped at these bastis (slums). means of livelihood. MNCs and the State, all in alliance to But people have not left - they have snatch away the common natural nowhere to go. Other evicted NBA continues to uphold the cause of resources for profit-making. communities have taken up residence the affected and support their rightful at the nearby graveyards. How can demands not only for food, shelter The Kerala High Court’s judgement cities like Mumbai ever aspire to be a and employment but also for an has raised issues related to the powers world-class city when the lives of its effective Tsunami warning system of Gramsabha and Gram Panchayats living residents is worse than death? and eco-viable ways of creating vis-à-vis those of the State - legislative Other communities have been thrown natural protection, like mangroves, in and judiciary as also the rights of the off their land, which has been the coastal belt. corporate vs the citizenry, drinking cordoned off with barbed wire. water vs water markets.

12 Narmada Samachar July 2005 Unravelling Bhakra

The Bhakra Nangal project, completed and dedicated in 1963 by Jawaharlal Nehru is considered as ‘the new temple of resurgent India’ and ‘the symbol of India’s progress’. It is accorded overwhelming, at times the sole credit for rescuing India from hunger and famine, for making India self-sufficient in food grains production. Forty years after it was completed, the project continues to be used as one of the main arguments in justifying new large dam projects in the country. Indeed, “What would be the situation without the Bhakra project?” is a question that is used less as a question than as an answer, as an argument, as a justification to gain legitimacy and hegemony for the construction of Mega dams.

Unravelling Bhakra is a study, examining the reality behind these perceptions related to the Bhakra project. The study attempts to look at the broad developmental impacts of the project, in particular its impact and contribution to food security in the country.

Published by: Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, Dashera Maidan Road, Badwani (M.P.) 451 551 Pages 372, A4, Rs. 150.00 (individuals) Rs. 300.00 (institutions)

Narmada Sarvade? Only 15 pc villages covered till now: Study Kamran Sulaimani, The Indian Express, July 18, 2005

Ahmedabad, July 17: Though touted as one of the largest drinking water projects, the Narmada Pipeline Project is yet to deliver on ground, say a study carried out by the citizens’ monitoring committee of NGOS — Centre for Development Alternatives, Pravah and IWMI-TATA Water Policy Programme (ITP). According to the target set by the government, it planned to supply water to 8,215 villages by April 2004. However, so far only 15 per cent of the villages, that is about 1,224 villages have been covered under the project says the study. Also, most of the villages shown ‘’officially covered under the project’’ are only on paper. The actual survey shows something else. In the survey carried out in 1,022 villages in the “covered’’ list of government, only 781 villages actually received Narmada water during November 2004 to January 2005. This was the third round of the study conducted by the organisation. The districts in which the survey was undertaken were Ahmedabad, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Kutch and Rajkot. Many of the villages which have been shown in the “officially covered list’’ of the government, actually did not receive even a single drop of the water, report reveals. When asked why these villages have been shown under the covered category, S K Vyas, Chief Engineer, Planning, Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board said: “The work is going on in these villages and will complete soon.’’ Of the 2700 km pipeline project initiated in 1999-2000, so far a pipeline covering 1343 km has been laid down.

Apart from this, the quality test of water is not being done under the Narmada Pipeline Project. Government has even provided relaxation in the standards of water quality which may have adverse impact on health of people, the report warns.

The results of the tests conducted on water samples collected by Gujarat Jalsewa Training Institute (GJTI) have not yet been made public, informs the report.

“That’s not our responsibility, people have to do it themselves in their villages and homes. However, we have sent 20 teams in various parts of the state to educate people about how to chlorinate water,’’ says Vyas.

Narmada Samachar July 2005 13 to the respective offices to plead and Curiously, this poor land, which was The Vignettes offer bribes. In spite of all these valued at Rs. 22,000 per hectare, was attempts, when thousands of families, bought for an exorbitant price of Rs. Rampant Corruption in adivasis and non-adivasis, have still 1,85,820. The extra money, needless to SSP been refusing to accept cash and say, didn’t go to the farmers, but to insisting on land-based rehabilitation government officials involved in the preceding submergence, the falsehood transactions. Complaints from The daily news from Gujarat and of the authorities stands more than farmers who sold their land helped to Madhya Pradesh shows rampant exposed. It is a known fact that expose the scandal. corruption happening in the builders, shopkeepers and some city rehabilitation process, both while dwellers have constructed thousands AK Singh, now a deputy collector- acquiring land from original villagers of new houses in order to receive level official, has been charged along and while distributing cash and other compensation for them. Thus people with two patwaris for cheating the amenities. not even affected were receiving public exchequer of Rs. 72.32 lakh In November 2004, 37 officials of the compensation, and paying bribes to and farmers of Rs. 41.32 lakh. But Narmada Valley Development the officials. As the allotment of cash beyond this, the land they acquired Authority were suspended after the compensation has been temporarily was of very poor quality, much of it discovery of an enormous suspended, we hope for a change in barren and dotted with ravines. One misappropriation of funds during an the situation. wonders how they intended to resettle auditing of Narmada Valley displaced farmers on it! These facts Development Authority (NVDA) Moreover it has come to light vindicate the grievance of many PAFs accounts. This makes it evident why (Hindustan Times, January 24, 2005) that the land allotted to them are bad the Government of Madhya Pradesh that Subhash Yadav, the ex-deputy as just and legitimate. The GRA has been taking the utterly illegal Chief Minister of M.P. has diverted Gujarat has cleared more than 13000 position of allocating cash some part of Rs. 240 crores meant for such petitions as redressed after the compensation to PAFs instead of rehabilitation of SSP PAFs and has SSPA (Sardar Sarovar Punarvasavat carrying out land-based rehabilitation. instead used it for development Agency) produced the Agricultural Obviously, there is far higher margin projects in his own constituency. The University’s Certificate stating that for corruption with cash Gujarat government after discovering the lands are productive! While the compensation than with allotment of this misappropriation of funds now government continues to prove things lands. intends to recover the amount. Thus, correct on paper, the people continue while thousands of adivasi families to suffer. It is more than obvious that the remain in the Valley without decision to allot cash instead of land, rehabilitation, government officials are All these incidents show the lack of in utter violation of law, was not to making profit out of their misfortune benefit the oustees but the officials, integrity in the government offices and stealing the money intended for implementing the SSP and their lack employees and a handful of political them. leaders who also were involved. of good faith in providing rehabilitation for dam-displaced It is now clear that the team of officials In Gujarat, several reports of scams families. were deliberately leaving flaws in the during the land acquisition for land acquisition process, carrying out developing rehabilitation sites are Benefits - Claims and the same in pieces, leaving out names coming out. It is now clear, as of families and their houses from the reported in TNN (October 3, 2004), Reality records, conspiring to value that the Sardar Sarovar Punarvasavat The benefits scenario is not similar houses differently in the Agency has indeed bought poor reassuring either. The irrigation, compensation awards and even quality lands at high prices, with drinking water and hydropower recording wrong survey levels. corrupt officials pocketing the extra claims of the SSP are proving to be Despite all these anomalies, all PAFs money. highly exaggerated (as the NBA has were reported as ‘rehabilitated’, and indeed been saying for years!) as the dam height was fraudulently raised Nearly 200 acres of land in the these claims were merely for gaining on that basis. villages of Dhantej and Tulsipur in legitimacy and clearance for the ill- Vadodara district were acquired by planned Project. One can see a slow All this was to scare the project the state for the purpose of and subtle shift in priorities as a affected families and make them run rehabilitating Sardar Sarovar oustees. result of political and market

14 Narmada Samachar July 2005 compulsions. The beneficiaries are way through, after 25 years of going to be very different from what construction? It all started in August 2004 – the was originally claimed, as it has first very monsoon and heavy rains become clear that the drought prone Apart from this, over 23,000 families since the main canal began drawing areas are not being prioritised and that who are losing more than 25% of their water. The big river-like canal the water is indeed going elsewhere. titled lands because of the Main canal broke on August 3rd near Borda, in Meanwhile nearly Rs. 18,000 crore ($4 and the people affected by water Vadodara district. With the Billion) has already been spent on SSP logging and canal breaches are not siphons, narrower that it should be, and canal construction! even recognized as project affected got defunct with silt, cut trees and and not compensated appropriately. garbage blocking the outlets. The Canal Network – Surface siphons or the underground Tushar Shah of IWMI (Anand), who ones, could not take the heavy Lifeline or Death noose? usually takes a pro-dam position water flows from fields and rivers argues in one of his articles on the to the canals…. And the big The SSP Main Canal, which is touted irrigation network of SSP, titled breaches (50 to 70 ft each in three as an engineering marvel, faced large “Institutional Vacuum in the Sardar places) drowned more than 7 breakages in several places last Sarovar Project” (EPW) that at the villages and their standing crops. monsoon, which even stopped water present time, it is difficult to see 700 houses and 5000 hectares of from flowing in the canals for almost whether the Sardar Sarovar Project agricultural lands got affected. two months from Aug 3, 2004 till is really going to deliver on its September end. The canal system has numerous promises and claims. The How ‘power’ful is SSP blocked the natural drainage of other Water Users Associations have been rivers in many places, resulting in created only on paper. A project that Today? flooding and water logging when looks world class on paper is slowly monsoon rains arrive. The heavy rains becoming a nightmare in reality. It was not long ago but till June-July last monsoon caused large breaches in 2004 that the Gujarat as well as the the canal, which flooded several The tenders for canal construction are Central governments claimed they villages and required their evacuation fixed at unrealistically low prices and would solve not just the water crisis overnight. Hundreds of hectares of hence most of the contractors, for but also the power crisis with Sardar standing crops were destroyed and the profit reasons, do a shabby job and the Sarovar Dam raised to 110.64 meters! affected people got very paltry farmers are bound to suffer. One None else but Mr. Modi himself during amounts as compensation. This year contractor said how he had to fix a his Prachar Sabha – the election the situation is worsening. tender for 9 km of field channels at propaganda in Nimad, M.P. (adjacent Rs. 12 Lakhs. There was no way he to the dam-affected area) had pointed While the government claims that the could complete that section within that Main canal (458 km in length in amount and still earn a profit. So he out to the height of the dias and said, Gujarat and 70 km into Rajasthan) is commented that within four to five “you give me this much of dam height almost 75% complete, the rest of the years, most of the canal network is (meaning 10m) and your state with 75000 km network of canals are not going to come under repairs. In the glitter with SSP power”. The dam was even 30% completed. It may take at long run, what is meant to be a raised to 110.64m and yet… Our least another Rs. 17000 crore to lifeline will turn out to be a death information shows that M.P. didn’t get complete them according to current noose for Gujarat. any power from the Dam, in spite of estimates (out of the total Rs. 44000 having forcibly submerged its adivasi crores ($10 Billion) total projected Withering Promises! villages from Jalsindhi to Kharya cost of the project, almost 80% is for Bhadal and beyond, and having spent the Canal related works). The Not only the State’s promises with the Gujarat government and its media not less than Rs.1500 crores. The state Sardar Sarovar canal network but the government is mum, obviously. usually places the blame for project canals itself stand breached. The delay on the NBA, but the reality is massive network of 75000 km The bureaucrats, if not the politicians that the people’s struggle or even the (including the main, branch and sub- in Maharashtra played a gimmick! On Supreme Court stay has nothing to minors, field channels) in length, has do with the canal construction. Then given much trouble even before it being questioned by NBA activists in how come the canal construction is in could prove beneficial. an official meeting in Mantralaya, this shoddy state and not even half

Narmada Samachar July 2005 15 they claimed and celebrated receiving insufficient. Much of the water is people up to March 2003. The report of SSP power. The reply to our query presently diverted to urban use and pointed out that the delay had been under the Right to Information Act too industries as against the stated plans. caused by non-execution of gave the statistics: Atleast 30 MW distribution canal works and pitching received by the state. However, on With regards to the Saurashtra work at Pariej. The report pointed out checking the minutes of all the Pipeline Project, a CAG (Comptroller the state government had diverted meetings, August 2004 to February Auditor General) report from 2003, drinking water intended for the 2005 of the Maharashtra State which was presented in the Gujarat Saurashtra region to a thermal power Electricity Board meeting that record State Assembly, states that only 44 per plant of GEB at Wanakbori, Vadodara all the sources and magnitude of cent of the envisaged people received Municipal ‘Corporation, and power received by the state, it is clear the benefits after two years of industries situated in the cities of that Maharashtra too haven’t execution of the augmented project Baroda and Ahmedabad, in violation received any. “How can we say that cost Rs 464.71 crores. of its own stipulation. anything when there is no measuring equipment set up till date at the entry “Saurashtra pipeline did The report stated that the Gujarat point to assess the SSP power government had decided to lift water not deliver”: CAG - Excerpts received?” question back the from the Sardar Sarovar dam and engineers at the grid. SSP has supply it to Pariej and Kanewal tanks generated very little power for very The Asian Age, Ahmedabad edition, through the Mahi Canal System to short period…..after the breached February 23, 2005 drought prone people of Saurashtra, canal was temporarily repaired The Indian Express, Ahmedabad which cost the state government Rs (September-October 2004) and the edition, February 23, 2005 48.15 crores. However, of the 258.92 geological problems at the power mcm water lifted from Sardar Sarovar house, murmured among the local The Comptroller and Auditor General only 52.20 mcm was supplied through workers, resolved, but the one or two of India in its report for year ended Mahi canal. March 31, 2003, raised several turbines too stopped functioning, The Comptroller and Auditor General anomalies in the implementation of leaving everyone suspicious. (CAG) in his report for 2002-03 has Saurashtra Pipe Line Project, stating rubbished the BJP Government’s that only 44 per cent of the envisaged As TOI reported 2 years ago, it is a claims of solving the drinking water people received the benefits after two myth that the state’s power situation crisis in parts of Ahmedabad and the years of execution of the augmented facing a demand-supply gap of Saurashtra region through the Rs project that cost Rs 464.71 crores. 2000MW, would be eased wit SS 464.71 crore Saurashtra Pipeline Dam reaching a height of 110.64 The CAG report tabled in the State Project (SPP). metres. And yet the argument made Assembly on Monday said the SPP It further points out that when the to seek NCA’s permission to drown was launched way back in 1999 for people of Saurashtra region were in the people, homes and fields and catering to the drinking water needs of acute need of water, the government raise the dam to 110.64, was that it 3.44 million people in 1,860 villages/ decided to lift water from the Sardar would bring in ‘power’. The dam is towns in the three districts of Sarovar dam and supply it to Pariej proved ‘powerless’, not people, till Ahmedabad, Amreli and Bhavnagar. and Kanewal tanks through the main date. But only 543 villages had benefited canal system at a cost of Rs 48.15 from as of March 2003, covering just crore. This included Rs 18.33 crore 1.51 million people. Not only this, 94 spent by Gujarat Electricity Board for The Exaggerated Image of % of the 1.51 million beneficiaries providing infrastructural facilities and covered under the project were Irrigation and Drinking energy charges. As much as 258.59 supplied the water unsuitable for Water Network mcm water was lifted from the Sardar human consumption. Sarovar, of which only 52.20 mcm The Main Canal system is built to The Saurashtra Pipe Line Project was was supplied to the SPP through Mahi carry about 40,000 cusecs of water. At envisaged to cater to drinking water canal, while the remaining 206.39 110.64 m, half of that capacity is needs of 3.44 million people in 1,860 mcm was supplied for the GEB’s available in the canals but the villages and towns in three districts thermal power plant at Wanakbori, the government was not able to use even but benefits could be taken to only Vadodara Municipal Corporation and 50% of the available water since the 543 villages covering 1.51 million industries situated in the VMC and canal network at this stage is Ahmedabad district areas.

16 Narmada Samachar July 2005 No recovery for the water charges from Narmada based drinking water renewed threat to their survival. They the corporations and industries pipeline could serve only 11% of the are being offered a meagre Rs.36,000 concerned were carried out, the CAG villages, to rely on it blindly would as maximum compensation, which report said.” only be suicidal. The report also said officials falsely claim will fetch them 3 that it was emphasized by speaker acres of land, when in reality it won’t Similar is the situation in Kutch after speaker that village communities be enough even for one acre! Most of where water has reached the southern must think of creating reliable local them haven’t accepted this paltry port cities and industrial belt through resources and at the best long distance amount but are still fighting to retain pipelines, with majority of the 848 odd bulk water transfer can only be their homes, small pieces of land and villages in Kutch being outside the adopted as a supplementary measure.” their dignity. supply belt. (Courtesy: www.indiatogether.org) But on May 5th, 05 the Modi “Advertising Mirages to government launched an assault on Mask Reality” - Himanshu Kevadia Eco-Tourism adivasis in the Kevadia area. On the day when SSP-affected families Upadhyaya digs deeper. Project travelled to Delhi to join a large rally “While hoardings put up in Rajkot of unorganised workers from all over Two Houses/Shops Demolished, the the country to demand comprehensive and other cities of Gujarat fate of 900 families hanging! congratulate Narendra Modi for legislation providing social and economic security, that same day two having provided “pehla Narmada naa As if displacing hundreds of nir ne have Vijali” (having ensured houses/shops belonging to Natwarbhai thousands of families from their Bhaiji Tadvi and Chandubhai the drinking water from the Narmada homes wasn’t enough, the Gujarat river, now moving towards ensuring Maganbhai Tadvi were demolished by government is planning to add insult bulldozers in broad daylight. The electricity), the Down To Earth issue to this injury by turning the ancestral of 15 June 2005 (downtoearth.org.in) houses, also used as small shops lands of the 6 Kevadia villages into a serving the officials and labourers of has carried a full page advertisement tourist attraction. The GoG plans on from the Water and Sanitation Sardar Sarovar, were on land that once developing the Sardar Sarovar dam belonged to Natwarbhai. Both Management Organisation (WASMO) and the surrounding areas as a tourist showcasing how Gujarat has become Natwarbhai and Chandubhai are destination complete with golf original adivasi inhabitants of the case for “Changing rural courses, water parks, upscale hotels landscape and lives”. WASMO is Kevadia. They were ousted from their and restaurants, and adventure water land and houses in 1961 when their registered as an autonomous body sports. under the Societies Registration Act of lands along with standing crops were 1860 and the Bombay Public Trust Act acquisitioned by the government using This horrendous project will affect the Land Acquisition Act of 1894. of 1960 with initial support from the adivasis of the six villages of Kevadia, governments of Netherlands and Along with 300+ families, Natwarbhai Waghodia, Kothi, Gora, Limdi and lost his livelihood for the dam and the Gujarat. The organisation is based in Navagam, which comprise the Gandhinagar. Reports in the print acquired lands were used for the ‘colony-affected villages’, which were officers’ colony, storages, offices and media were telling quite a different never even acknowledged as project- story.” guesthouses. Balance land was also affected and hence never offered a just allotted to Swaminarayan Trust, rehabilitation package. The lands of “The reality has emerged elsewhere Television Centre, and a Museum for these villagers were acquired for the too, not merely in the English press. promoting Adivasi Culture. In spite of dam as early as 1961. In return they Bhumiputra, a fortnightly Gujarati promises and advice from the World were given a trivial and unjust language news publication, reported Bank to NCA, these colony-affected compensation of Rs. 80-250 per acre. on a recent seminar on water scarcity families were not declared as Project They would’ve been evicted from their in the state. The seminar was Affected Families, even though their properties too, but as a result of their organized by International Water land was used for the infrastructure intense and brave struggle, they Management Institute, Satyajeet Trust, and works related to the Project and managed to remain in their homes Kutch Navnirman Abhiyan and they faced the trauma of displacement. and painfully etched out their Gandhidham Chamber of Commerce The recent assault is in preparation for livelihoods. Even though they live in and Industries. The report quoted an eco-tourism project estimated at Rs. constant police terror, they have speakers opining that since the 170 crores, with investments from a managed to survive. This project is a Mauritius-based company, a water

Narmada Samachar July 2005 17 parks company, ITDC and owners of a depending solely on these reports, thereby not attending the other star Hotel in Baroda. Involving without verifying the field reality. meetings planned and agreed upon by academicians from the Centre for the team itself. Environmental Planning and In this context, after our meetings Technology (CEPT) and other such with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Meanwhile, it came to light that the bodies, the project planning is non- Singh and Ms. Sonia Gandhi, the Gujarat government had made transparent and has not taken into Prime Minister on November 22, extensive preparations to sabotage the account the ground level situation at 2004, gave a directive to the Water tour. Police patrols were stopping all all. About 900 families on 1400 Resources Minister Mr. Priyaranjan buses and trains coming into Gujarat, hectares of land would have to be Dasmunshi who is also the “looking for Medha Patkar” to arrest evicted and their structures Chairperson of the Review Committee her. Police were harassing PAFs at demolished if the plan goes through. of the NCA, to visit the valley and rehabilitation sites in Vadodara and In addition, the project is bound to assess rehabilitation situation. The Narmada districts, as if the PAFs destroy the remaining good forests Chairperson of the R&R sub-group were wrongfully raising their voices around the dam and affect villages in Ms. Sarita Prasad, who is also the to demand their full rights. the vicinity as well. Secretary of MSJ&E, was given a Thousands of PAFs are facing serious similar directive. livelihood issues in the R&R sites and The attack on and demolition of 2 government is desperately trying to houses is just the beginning. Earlier Mr Dasmunshi decided to send his suppress PAFs’ genuine voices from during September 2004, six huts Personal Secretary and others for a being heard outside. belonging to Noorya Poholya’s three-day tour of the valley. A team undeclared family members were consisting of Shri Manoj Agrawal The December 11 newspapers in burnt down near the dam site, in the (Secretary to Mr Dasmunshi), Mr Gujarat reported that one Shri name of eco-tourism. They had Varshneya (Central Water Manubhai Patel, a Gujarat-based returned from the resettlement sites Commission) and Mr Afroz Ahmed office-bearer of an NGO had back to the original village in order to (Director of Rehabilitation, NCA) threatened to have an agitation along earn a better livelihood. were to conduct a tour from December with Swami Sacchidanand, against 10th to 12th, which was to include the what they called a “Medha Patkar-led Garudeshwar Weir which is given SSP-affected villages in the Nimad team sent by Sonia Gandhi.” The clearance recently as a support dam plains of Madhya Pradesh, the interior NBA activists, undeterred by these downstream of SSP is bound to tribal villages in Jhabua district of threats, conducted its meetings in the submerge atleast 13 villages including M.P and Nandurbar district of adivasi area as well as in Gujarat, some of the 6 Kevadia Colony affected Maharashtra which have already faced where they were harassed and villages. submergence, the six colony-affected detained for hours by the police. villages near the Sardar Sarovar Dam site and the Gujarat resettlement sites New Delhi Action – A in order to assess the progress in The Thwarted Visit of GoI rehabilitating affected families. Timely Intervention officials However, the team did not complete The people of the Narmada valley had the stipulated tour. On December 11, to once again go to New Delhi In the last six years, and especially the team attended three large public following the thwarted visit of the GoI after the Supreme Court Judgment of meetings in the plains of Nimad, officials. It became very obvious that October 2000, there were no field where it was made evident to the team government was trying to go ahead visits by the Narmada Control that rehabilitation had certainly not with the dam in spite of the Prime Authority, the official body that been completed, in fact, cash Minister’s directive for a field monitors the progress of the project compensation was being illegally assessment regarding rehabilitation. and rehabilitation. The dam has gone distributed and oustees were being So, on March 15, 2005, about 500 up from 80.3 to 110.64 meters during cheated in various ways. Though people from the Narmada Valley this period based purely on reports Ahmed in his closing speech said that reached New Delhi to bring to focus from state governments claiming the team would be visiting the the complete lack of rehabilitation complete rehabilitation. This is a interior adivasi areas the next day, even under the current dam height, serious violation as the NCA is the team vanished from the area late and to protest the probable dam height that night and returned to Delhi, raise to 121 metres, as was constantly

18 Narmada Samachar July 2005 being attempted by the Chief Minister (SSP). Shri Sriniwasulu, Member of the Participating in National of Gujarat, Narendra Modi. The Commission, Shri R.C. Durga, Director people were there to demand answers of ST Commission of Maharashtra and Policy Making from the various concerned Ministers M.P. and others, accompanied him. and Secretaries. They visited several adivasi villages of The Narmada Bachao Andolan has Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and been raising questions about the Within a few hours of reaching the rehabilitation sites in Gujarat, and development paradigm and policy, gates of Shastri Bhavan, they convened 8 meetings in different displacement, the environment, and received the welcome news of the villages to assess the state of the rights of tribals, farmers, peasants Supreme Court case victory. Armed rehabilitation of those displaced by the and marginalized people in the with this verdict, they met with the SSP. A large number of officials of country. In many ways, NBA tried to Minister of Social Justice and each state toured with the Chairman. initiate the discourse around Empowerment, Mrs. Meira Kumar displacement building up in this along with her Secretary, Mrs. Sarita The adivasis spoke of their trauma and country, at a time when large projects Prasad; Minister of Water Resources, the agony of displacement, and of how were not questioned, and displacement Shri Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, members their legally guaranteed rehabilitation was considered necessary for the of the Planning Commission, even still evades them even though many greater common good. members of the World Bank, the body thousands have already faced responsible for initiating this submergence. They brought out cases We have come a long way since then. disastrous project, who withdrew in of legal violations and contempt of In this regard, NBA has also been 1993 due to pressure from the affected court. They also gave instances of actively contributing to the national- people. As soon as the Adivasis cheating and corruption by the level efforts for giving our input in the reached New Delhi and had meetings, Government officials in allotting land. various national policies that are being Secretary, Ministry of Social justice It was established before the chairman explored at the Centre. The National and Empowerment left for a visit to that there are thousands of families Advisory Council, chaired by Mrs. the resettlement sites in Maharashtra residing in the villages, in the Sonia Gandhi, is in the process of which was very scandalous as she submergence zone at the present dam preparing a National Policy for avoided visiting the submergence height itself, while the official reports Displacement and Rehabilitation, in affected villages in the valley were show them as rehabilitated. which we have been providing adivasi families remain to be substantial input, based on decades of rehabilitated. The Chairman heard all the issues ground-level work. Similarly, with the patiently and sympathetically for all Centre considering the National Right The Delhi Action lasted from March three days. He said that he would be to Information Bill, the Employment 15 to March 18. Over 800 people from calling a meeting in Indore on the 29th Guarantee Act and the procedures for the slum- evicted communities of and 30th of April, to discuss these Free and Prior Informed Consent, we Mumbai also joined the people from issues with the concerned NVDA have been making significant inputs in the Narmada Valley. Together, they officials. In addition, he will also these processes. raised a battle cry against unjust convene a national-level meeting in displacement, whether it is in remote Delhi, where the representatives of the Towards a National Policy rural communities or visible urban affected people will also be officially centres. invited, to discuss these issues in National Convention on Displacement depth. He promised to solve the issues was organized on Nov 30th – Dec 1st by Chairperson ST of Narmada adivasis after questioning NAPM with Habitat International, Commission Visits Valley officials on various issues. He added Indian Social Institute, MATU, Delhi that he would also like to raise larger Vikas Manch and many allies of national issues about adivasis who NAPM including NBA As an immediate result of the New are facing displacement without Delhi action, the Chairperson of the rehabilitation since the constitution About 250 of Narmada (Sardar Sarovar) National Commission for Scheduled demands the protection of their affected and hundreds of others from Tribes, Mr Kunwar Singh made a rights. Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, A.P, M.P, three-day visit to the Narmada river Himachal Pradesh, UP, Gujarat, th valley from April 12 -14th, visiting Maharashtra, Delhi and Rajasthan adivasi communities and villages participated. They all had the affected by the Sardar Sarovar Project

Narmada Samachar July 2005 19 representatives of some of the political one feasibility report out of thirty, Whether Goi or SSP, Bargi or parties CPI, CPM, RSP, Forward Bloc, making it difficult for the public to Maheshwar, Narmada Sagar (Indira JD (S) who just not supported but form an opinion on the project. Sagar) or Omkareshwar, Vega or signed the resolution and the Central Jobat, the NBA continues to resist the Water Resources Minister Mr. Since the government has stated that undemocratic and destructive water Priyaranjan Dasmunshi himself was the Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal is one harnessing plans and its illegal present for a session, was questioned of the priority links, we are studying implementation being done in the and spoke on the alternative ways of this link in closer detail. The aim of Narmada Valley, in the name of harnessing water resources. this link is to divert surplus waters development. from the Parbati, Kalisindh, and V P Singh, the former Prime Minister Newaj rivers to either the Gandhisagar of India inaugurated the conference, or Ranapratapsagar reservoirs across condemning displacement that leads the Chambal River for irrigation to destitution as unacceptable and purposes. It is being assessed whether Crocs will make way for inhuman. these rivers are actually surplus basins tourists at dam site and whether the Chambal is a deficit A strong and detailed resolution basin. Additionally the potential for The state government plans to passed marks the determination and rainwater harvesting is also being have crocodiles removed from comprehensive perspective both. estimated. four dykes at the Narmada dam site to make them safe for water Therefore, a small group of senior News from Goi Dam sports. activists had gathered and drafted a SSNNL wants to develop the National Rehabilitation Policy, with a The struggle for rehabilitation in Goi dam and surrounding regions as need to change the NDA-promoted dam in Madhya Pradesh is gaining a tourist spot, with facilities for 2003 policy on rehabilitation. A momentum. In 2004, the Madhya boating and water sports at the meeting was held with NBA as Pradesh Pollution Control Board four dykes that hold water participant, with members of the invited the affected families for a discharged from the canal head National Advisory Council and public hearing, as it was a requirement hydel station and divert it for officials from the Planning under the Ministry to Environment to irrigation. But crocodiles are a Commission, The Ministry for Social go ahead with the project danger: in the last five years, Justice and Empowerment, the implementation. The issue is that in they have attacked and killed Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the order to conduct a public hearing, two villagers fetching water Ministry of Rural Development. What certain studies like the Environmental from the dykes. next? We all await a final nod and Impact Assessment (EIA) should be in formation of the policy, which doesn’t place first, which was not done. require much public debate or It was decided at the meeting to trap the reptiles and release legislative approval in this country. The people out rightly rejected the them in the main reservoir, hearing but instead went to the which won’t be open to tourists. Research on the Inter officials and protested the unjust and The forest department, which undemocratic haste shown to go ahead Linking of Rivers will undertake the task, with the procedures circumventing the estimates this will take four regulations. They demanded The Parliamentary Committee on months and cost some Rs 10 transparency and the release of full Water Resources recently invited lakh. depositions from the public regarding information regarding the project including the Detailed Project Report, their views on the ILR proposal. A Since the crocodile is protected Rehabilitation Plan, Economic letter was submitted from our part, under Schedule I of the Indian aspects, Environmental Impact asking for an opportunity to make an Wildlife Act, the plan will have Assessment, Flora and Fauna, oral presentation to the committee. In to be cleared by the centre’s Downstream Impacts etc. Until the the submission, concerns on environment ministry. procedural, socio-economic, studies are ready, the people have decided to boycott the public hearing, environmental and technical issues Courtesy: Indian Express which is required to get clearance. were raised. It was also highlighted July 13, 2005 that the government has only released

20 Narmada Samachar July 2005 >> Page 1 the government’s claims of >> Page 10 rehabilitation to be false. This Our humble contributions to the vindicates what the NBA has been plenty of primary resource materials building of people’s power movements saying for years: that rehabilitation is available with NBA, not only as texts as also to the policy-making couldn’t indeed not complete and thus the but the experiences of the dam- have come true without your co- raising of the dam height, which is affected populations and activists in operation and support. currently 110.64 metres, is illegal. In struggle. Many educational fact, the verdict shows that even institutions like TTS (Madurai), The latest public confession and families affected at 80 metres still lack SNDT (Mumbai), NCAS (Pune) and commitment by the CM of Arunachal the mandated rehabilitation. The work organizations like Spic Mackay (New Pradesh following the South Asian at SARDAR SAROVAR had to be Delhi), Initiative (Mumbai) regularly meeting in Nirjuli is an achievement suspended. With this positive verdict, sent students, for example Urvashi, of the same. “As far as possible, we need to fight now harder than ever Priyank, Nivedita, Junnka, Rajneesh, storage projects involving high dams to ensure that the Court’s judgement is Peter, Davidson and others came this will be avoided,” the Apang enforced, that those who have already year so far, for voluntary work and government’s communiqué said. faced illegal submergence be exposure to the valley. Students like Explaining the government’s decision, rehabilitated right away, before the and Anand and Kinjal even came out Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary monsoon begins, and that the dam not with effective reports and photo Ashok Kumar said in New Delhi: be built any higher until rehabilitation features on key issues. The NBA “Huge reservoirs create displacement of all families is completed. enables the youth to get clarity about problems and lead to submergence of the complex issues to perceive the large tracts of land. Consequently, the When there isn’t adequate land (at inter-connection between various rehabilitation process becomes much least 10,000 hectares needed) for issues. more complicated.” completing rehabilitation and there isn’t adequate money (at least For further information contact Much more, however, is demanded, Rs.22,000 crores ($5 billion) more) for NBA offices (see inside front cover whether in the form of boardroom completing the project, when canals for details) or [email protected] politics, legal intervention or mass are not ready for the optimum use of or [email protected] action. We can’t but challenge the the waters available today and while ADB’s financing to privatising of our several problems such as water- waters, whether by the Hindustan logging persist, then one must demand Coca Cola Beverages Ltd, Pepsi or the that the dam be stopped at 110.64 ‘Corrupted’ Dams other giants whom we are fighting meters and the Sardar Sarovar Project be reviewed. under the NAPM’s banner. Water is A new report by the precious and should not be international corruption-fighting Our colleagues, continuing to struggle marketable. It is vital, it supports life. group Transparency against the devastation due to the Let us judiciously use it as our right International (TI) focuses on Narmada Sagar and the unjustifiable and protect with all our might. corruption in the construction Maheshwar, Veda and Goi dams in the industry, and calls attention to a Narmada Valley, are exposing the Until a fair rehabilitation policy and a number of large dam projects. Madhya Pradesh government, its flaws rational water policy are created and The Global Corruption Report and farcical claims, both. followed, until a self-reliant plan to 2005 includes detailed harness our resources with a value- assessments of the state of We earnestly appeal to you, to open framework of equity and justice is corruption in 40 countries, and your hearts and continue to generously attained, the struggle and describes the findings of the support the genuine efforts of struggle reconstruction will continue in the latest research into corruption for Justice and Reconstruction going valley and beyond. and ways to combat it. on in the Narmada Valley and beyond, whether through cash and We’ve had some notable recent The new corruption report is kind or through volunteering and successes such as a favourable available from http:// campaigning. Supreme Court decision on March 15, www.transparency.org/ 2005 upholding the rights of affected families to rehabilitation and showing Narmada Bachao Andolan

Narmada Samachar July 2005 21 Events at a Glance ‘Swadeshi’ power May 7, 2004 - Bhoomi Haq Satyagraha at Somaval begins Mr. Ashutosh Govarikar, Lagaan fame film June 10 - Bhoomi Haq Satyagraha Withdrawn director-producer had it again. He made another July 12 – 15 - Mumbai Dharna award winning film and telecast across the July- Sept 2004 - Devastating submergence in the country was ‘Swadeshi’, depicting a rural Narmada Valley, dam is at 110.64 m July end - Rajpipla collector calls the representatives of six community action happens to be based on our Kevadia Colony affected villages, tells them to take Bilgaon Micro-hydel power project with a 15 Rs.36,000 and leave their villages within 3 months. KW capacity. Mrs and Mr Govarikar stayed in August 2004 - CAG Report severely criticizes indiscriminate Bilgaon, learnt the project and made this spending in SSP impactful film using many scenes, reminding August 2004 - SSP Canal-head generators started one of Andolan’s programs and practices. producing electricity on a minimum scale August 1-5 - 5 day Dharna in Shahada Many of us, however, felt shocked to see that August 3 - The Main Canal breaks near Borda village in the film shows a youth – NRI – coming from Vadodara district causing flooding of several villages in USA, the global centre of power to transform the command area of SSP. India. While this is certainly a story that can August 6 - SSP started overflowing at 110.64 m motivate the youth settled abroad, the fact that August 10 - The Main Canal again breaks near Kadi in India youths, well trained and better equipped Ahmedabad to deal with peculiar Indian realities – the August 10 - District Collector of Jhabua (M.P.) and officials inequity within, the community’s strength and visit Kakrana but leave before meeting the people resources, too can and do take up the August 11 - Earth Quake of 3.4 Richter Scale near challenge. Alirajpur (M.P) in the submergence area August 27 - The reservoir level reaches 116.95 m at the dam Bilgaon project, erected by the adivasis of the site while the dam was at 110.64 m village who did shramadan along with the September 6 - Quotations for Kevadia Tourism Project technical expertise of Mr. Anilkumar and Madhu floated by Gujarat government of People’s School of Energy, Kannoor, Kerala September 6 - Six hutments of declared PAFs who have and his colleagues, who have successfully returned back to their hamlet in Borida (village Vadgam, Gujarat) due to livelihood reasons were damaged by forest completed a number of micro-hydels in Kerala officials and one in Domkhedi. Anilbhai, who planned September 6 -7 - The Team of IPT Panellists visits the the project to the last minute detail also worked Narmada valley to conduct Public Hearings – team consists with the people. This brilliant engineer with the of Mr. Harsh Mander, Dr. B.D. Sharma and Ms. Chitra hands in his soil and heart with the common Palekar people in this country has a vision to workshop September 9 - Six hutments belonging to undeclared PAFs expertise that makes him different. The Bilgaon burnt down near dam site by forest officials project received financial and material support Late September - Medha Patkar and other NBA activists to the Bilgaon Navnirman Samiti from many meet the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmoham Singh to give him individuals including young engineers-activists information about the shoddy status of rehabilitation for settled abroad, who are a part of Association for SSP. India’s Development and Bombay Sarvodaya Early November - 37 NVDA Officials suspended for Friendship Centre. ‘Swadeshi’ technology and corruption charges in rehabilitation process resources, with no displacement, submergence Mid-November - Medha Patkar along with other NBA or destruction, is our strength and this work on activists meets Mrs. Sonia Gandhi to impress upon her the alternative is a challenge to Sardar Sarovar and complete lack of rehabilitation in the valley. us, both. November 22 - Press Release from the PMO directing the Water Resources Minister and R&R subgroup to make field visits to the Narmada Valley to check truth about rehabilitation

22 Narmada Samachar July 2005 Late November - False Information about Rehabilitation put meters annulling the decision of the M. P State government up in NCA Website showing Rehabilitation under 110.64 m and the GRA as “Zero”. March 15-19 - New Delhi Action November 24-25 - Gujarat GRA visits a few R&R sites to March 24-26 - Supreme Court Advocates Muralidhar and furnish data to clear the ATR of the state government Sanjay Parikh, who fought the victorious case, visit the showing rehabilitation as completed at 121.92 m valley Nov 30- Dec 1 - Convention on Development, Displacement March 25 - Holi at Domkhedi celebrated with festivity and and Rehabilitation in New Delhi; Hundreds of affected resolve people from Narmada participate April 3 - 4 houses burnt down in Thuvavi R&R site in December 2-3 - Conference on Interlinking of Rivers in New Gujarat by fire caused from faulty electricity lines Delhi April 7 - Environment Sub-Group meets again. NBA sends a December 2 - Delhi Action in front of the Ministry of Social letter pointing out that environmental compliance is Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Water seriously lacking, and urges review of clearance upto 121 Resources metres, also keeping in mind the latest SC verdict. ESG December 10 - The Personal Secretary of the Water Chairman does not acknowledge the letter and clearance is Resources Minister begins his tour of the Narmada Valley in not revoked. Badwani. 3 large public meetings in the affected villages in April 12-14 - NCST Chairperson Shri Kunwar Singh visited the Nimad plains make the falsity and sham of rehabilitation the Valley, 12th in Nimad, 13 in Anjanwara and Nimgavan, 14th evident. in Lunadra-1 and Karnet -2 R&R sites in Gujarat December 10 late night - In the middle of the night, the team May 5-7 - Narmada and Mumbai people again descend on returned back to New Delhi without completing assessment Delhi to attend the Unorganized Workers Rally in Ramlila of rehabilitation Maidan, Delhi and to dialogue with concerned officials December 31 - Rajpipla Collector calls the Kevadia villagers May 12-15 - Yatra in North Maharashtra of Narmada and for the second time. People clearly rejected the existing Mumbai slum evicted people to raise awareness on current compensation package and demanded equal status as situation in both the issues reservoir affected PAFs May 17 - Yatra reaches Mumbai; Indefinite dharna of Maharashtra Narmada people and Mumbai slum evicted 2005 people begins at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, demanding talks January 6 - The Environmental Subgroup of NCA gives with the govt and rehabilitation before monsoon. clearance for the dam height to 121.92 meters though May 28 - Rehabilitation Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Kadam reports were not ready meets a delegation of PAFs with Yogini Khanolkar, Medha January 6-14 - Medha Patkar and other NBA and NAPM Patkar and Pratibha Shinde of Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. activists work in Tamilnadu to contribute to Tsunami relief June 15 - Three months pass since the Supreme Court efforts at the ground level. verdict, which stated that rehabilitation of all applicants must January middle - PAFs from Bharad village in Maharashtra be completed within three months. Some applicants are shifted to Javda R&R site with the site not even half ready allotted uncultivable land at Kesur. The orders of the Court February 8 - Release of the IPT Report on SSP Rehabilitation stand violated by the government. in New Delhi June 15 - Rs. 20 lakh of damage occurred when a transformer February 9 - NBA activists participate and give solidarity in burst at the River Bed Power House (RBPH) of the dam. the Indo-Pak friendship event organized in Mumbai to Power generation was stopped. welcome friends visiting from Pakistan June 19-24 - SSP starts overflowing at 111.04 metres, because February 12 - Mass arrest at Rafiq Nagar (evicted slum), of water released from upstream dam, Indira Sagar. Mumbai. Medha Patkar and NBA activists also get arrested June 24 - At 3 pm, tremors are felt at the dam site for over a to show solidarity. minute, which measure 3 on Richter scale. February 25-27 - Bal Mela celebrated in Jalsindhi, bringing June 24 - Real estate dealer and builder A.K. Singh was together children of all the Jeevanshalas for play, arrested in connection with land scams in the Sardar competitions, and cultural programs and to better their Sarovar Punarvasavat Agency. He bought poor ravine understanding of the struggle and of adivasi identity. lands from landowners and then re-sold it to SSPA for March 1 - Rajpipla Collector calls Kevadia people for the rehabilitation of oustees at a much higher price. third time for negotiations June - July - Terrible floods in South Gujarat, devastation in March 14 - Bhopal action; International Day Against Dams, the resettlement sites as a result of monsoon crop and for Rivers destruction due to water-logging March 15 - Supreme Court Verdict delivered in favour of August - August marks 20 years of STRUGGLE by NBA NBA ordering the states to give 2 hectares of land to each from the time Medha Patkar first went into the interior declared major son and to resettle all the temporarily adivasi villages affected by the project, and people began affected PAFs before the dam height is raised from 110.64 to get organized.

Narmada Samachar July 2005 23 Appeal Some of our requirements There is a great demand for new Jeevanshals. Some of the 15, which are running currently, need to be expanded or turned into residential schools instead of day schools. A It is crisis time once more (the monsoons are already day-school for around 40 children can be started and run here), and though we have so far succeeded in preventing at the cost of less than Rs 25,000 /- a year. A Residential the increase in the height of the Sardar Sarovar Project, School would require Rs 1,00,000 /- per year , to run and the rehabilitation scenario has been very slow – every maintain. ounce of success has been fought tooth and nail!!!

♦ A Hostel with a capacity of 200 students is coming up Jansahayog - Last year we have delivered relief to 370 adivasi families - 25 families from Gujarat, 87 from M.P., at Dhule, with tremendous efforts put in by our Dhule 258 from Maharashtra - who would not have been able to support group. Ex-students of our Jeevanshalas are survive without peoples’ support. Narmada Nav Nirman admitted into regular schools after class 4 and are housed Abhiyan and the Bombay Sarvodaya Friendship Centre largely in government hostels, where we find that the food have contributed equally and worked in close cooperation and other facilities are often far from adequate. It is and coordination to ensure that the Jansahayog program envisaged that if we could have the group under our care, worked effectively. not only would they benefit, but continued value oriented inputs would result in a crop of future, well educated and 2 Quintals of Makkai (corn ) or 1 Quintal Makkai and 1 better prepared Karyakartas. Sponsorship would be at the Quintal Jowar were supplied to each of these families, rate of Rs 6000/- per child for one year. depending on availability / cost / preference in that area. ♦ Also, 20 Kgs. Dal, 1 Kg. Chilli powder and 1 Kg. salt A plot of land has been donated in Badwani .As it is, were provided. we have been receiving warnings from our current land- lord in Badwani and are seriously considering building a 177 of these families needed a second round of relief permanent office on the donated plot, which would then during the year, the rest managed with one round of help serve as a multi – purpose centre. The cost would be Rs. 3 from us. The cost of food per round of relief, per family, lakhs – approximately. comes to approximately Rs 2,500 /-, including transport. ♦ We also have a few students who have excelled in Despite tremendous poverty and need all around, we have sports and have reached the national level without any had to restrict our aid specifically to those families who formal aid. One of them seems to have Olympic level live by the river Narmada and who have lost all or almost potential. If anyone interested in sports is ready to give all their resources to submergence and have not been these kids a boost – please put them in touch with us. rehabilitated so far. Please make cheques payable to “ Narmada Nav Nirman Jansahayog is not charity – it is support from those Abhiyan” and mail to Pervin Jehangir, 261, Jupiter Apts, members of civil society who are convinced that the 41, New Cuffe Parade, Mumbai 400 005 valiant people of the Narmada valley, who have fought for nearly 20 years for their right to life and livelihood, can Tax relief under 80 G is available. We accept donations in continue to the non-violent struggle for their birthrights Indian Rupees only. Please ensure that your names and and a sustainable future in a rehabilitation site, if they can addresses are legibly written in order to facilitate posting first survive! of receipts. Please also send a covering letter specifying the purpose of the donation, if you want to support one or Support is most urgently required : other of the above causes.

General donations for the struggle, dharnas and Appreciating and acknowledging your dedication and programmes , office expenses – phone bills, transport, support over the years, xeroxes, faxes, honorarium for full time activists etc. We remain, Jansahayog: An urgent need to supply food grains etc. and in a few cases, even shelter, to 300 adivasi families Narmada Nav Nirman Abhiyan at Rs 5000 per family.

24 Narmada Samachar July 2005