Skip to main content

NBA to protest Madhya Pradesh "failure" to rehabilitate Narmada dam oustees, cites Gujarat success

By Our Representative
In a major announcement, the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), led by top social activist Medha Patkar, has declared its decision to hold a protest fast (chetavni upvas) from April 27 to 29, 2016 at Bhopal against the Madhya Pradesh government's alleged failure to rehabilitate thousands of Narmada dam oustees.
In a statement, the NBA said, “People from the Narmada valley will reach Bhopal on April 27 morning to fight displacement, disaster and inequality that is being bestowed on people in the name of development over the last 30 years.”
Over the last 30 years, the NBA said, while 14,000 Narmada oustees – mostly Dalits and tribals – were rehabilitated in Gujarat and Maharashtra and handed over land, “in Madhya Pradesh only 40-50 rehabilitated people were given land.” It added, “Even today, more than 50,000 displaced families are residing in submergence area.”
Recalling the Jha Commission report, which looked into corruption charges by government officials in handing over cash instead of land for land, the NBA said, “The families haven’t been rehabilitated. They have not yet been granted justice.”
“Yet”, it said, “The Modi government as also governments ofMadhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharastra governments pulled strings to increase the height of the dam by 17 metres, i.e. from 122 t to 139 metres. The construction of the gates is almost complete.”
As part of the protest, the NBA said, “People from various tehsils in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and different parts of the country would stage a dharna at their places in solidarity.”
“The time has come again that together we challenge the preparations made by those in power and involved in corruption to drown thousands of families in years old civilization of the Narmada Valley”, said the NBA.
Regretting that the report of the Justice Jha Commission, which was formed by the order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in the year 2008, is ready, yet it is not being allowed to see it despite being a petitioner for itws formation, the NBA said, “The NBA was not allowed to open it in the court, nor was the report given to the MLAs of the region.”
Currently lying with the Madhya Pradesh state assembly, the NBA said, refusal to open the report suggests how the government wants to hide corruption by the Narmada Valley Development Authority.
Meanwhile, it added, “The Supreme Court has sought ‘Action Taken Report’ from the state government regarding the report within six weeks' time.”
“The Jha report has shed light into how many fake registries in rehabilitating the oustees have happened”, the NBA said.
It added, however, the questions that need to be asked are: “How many crores of rupees would have gone waste in that? How many middlemen and corrupt government employees are involved in that? What all scams have taken place in the construction of houses, and rehabilitation sites?”
“It has to be found out which officials are involved in this, apart from finding out about money and land. Those who are guilty needs to be identified and punished accordingly. Even before we went to the High Court, the displaced people were being sent to jail, which was stopped by the High Court”, the NBA said.

Comments

TRENDING

'Very low rung in quality ladder': Critique of ICMR study on 'sudden deaths' post-2021

By Bhaskaran Raman*  Since about mid-2021, a new phenomenon of extreme concern has been observed throughout the world, including India : unexplained sudden deaths of seemingly healthy and active people, especially youngsters. In the recently concluded Navratri garba celebrations, an unprecedented number of young persons succumbed to heart attack deaths. After a long delay, ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) has finally has published a case-control study on sudden deaths among Indians of age 18-45.

SC 'appears to foster' culture of secrecy, does not seek electoral bond details from SBI

By Rosamma Thomas*  In its order of November 2, 2023 on the case of Association for Democratic Reforms vs Union of India contesting constitutional validity of electoral bonds, the Supreme Court directed all political parties to give particulars of the bonds received by them in sealed covers to the Election Commission of India. SC sought that information be updated until September 2023. 

Only 12% of schools RTE compliant: Whither 6% budgetary allocation for education?

By Ambarish Rai* Despite Indian state’s commitment of 6% GDP on education, the Finance Minister completely ignored right to education for children and strengthening implementation of RTE Act which makes education a fundamental right in her budget speech . The Right to Education (RTE) Forum, which is a collective of different stakeholders in education, condemns this neglect of a legal entitlement, which is unconstitutional and demand for overall increase in the budget to ensure improvement in learning outcomes and overall enhancement of quality education.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Savarkar in Ahmedabad 'declared' two-nation theory in 1937, Jinnah followed 3 years later

By Our Representative One of the top freedom fighters whom BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi revere the most, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was also a great supporter of the two nation theory for India, one for Hindus another for Muslims, claims a new expose on the man who is also known to be the original proponent of the concept of Hindutva.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

'Ambiguous policy': India late in advocating EVs as energy storage in national grid

By Shankar Sharma*  This is regarding the points raised by the Chief Electricity Authority’s (CEA's) advocacy for usage of electrical vehicles (EVs) as energy storage technology, and few associated issues . An objective reading of what he states should reiterate the enormously growing importance of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in our need to transition to a net-zero carbon scenario for the country.

Union Health Ministry, FSSAI 'fail to respond' to NHRC directive on packaged food

By Our Representative  The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed deep concern over the adverse health effects caused by packaged foods high in salt, sugar, and saturated fats. Recognizing it as a violation of the Right to Life and Right to Health of Indian citizens, the quasi-judicial body called for a response from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding its selection of front-of-pack labels aimed at providing consumers with information to make healthier choices.

Is India emulating west, 'using' anti-terror plank to justify state-supported violence?

Fahad Ahmad, Baljit Nagra*  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused India of being involved in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh leader, on Canadian soil. Narendra Modi’s right-wing Hindu nationalist Indian government is defiant and denies involvement. Indian officials have instead admonished Canada for being a “ safe haven ” for Sikh “terrorism,” a pejorative for Sikh self-determination .