Nitish Kumar "supports" anti-Narmada dam protesters ahead of crucial Aug 31 NCA meet to decide on dam's gates

By A Representative
In a surprise move, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has thrown his weight behind the powerful anti-dam organization, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), fighting for the rehabilitation of more than 15,000 Narmada dam oustees, which it says have been “left out” from any package to resettle the dam-affected families.
The news comes amidst the announcement of a crucial meeting on August 31 of the Narmada Control Authority's (NCA's) environmental sub-group, consisting of representatives of Government of India and of three “beneficiary” states, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, for a final nod to close down the 30-odd gates installed on the dam.
NCA nod on dam closure would mean that the rehabilitation of the dam oustees has been “completed” and they would not face any hardship as a result of the submergence of the dam's upstream areas if the water levels rise, reaching up to 138.64 metres from the present 121.92 metres.
Kumar, sources say, would reach Badwani in Madhya Pradesh on September 16 to lend his support to the dam-affected persons, protesting under NBA banner. Sitting next on the banks of Narmada river at Rajghat, they are protesting against what they consider as “fake rehabilitation” by the Madhya Pradesh government.
Relations between NBA leader Medha Patkar and Kumar's party, Janata Dal (United), are known to be cordial for long. JD(U)'s former national president Sharad Yadav and its senior leader KC Tyagi, a member of Parliament, have the past lent their support to the anti-dam movement in Delhi and elsewhere.

Dr Afroz Ahmed talking with Medha Patkar in Badwani

However, crucially, this is for the first time that a chief minister of a state is reaching out to the protesting oustees to support their cause. Known to be a long-time opponent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kumar is considered a Modi opponent. He refused to heed Modi advice to states to drop consent and social impact assessment clauses of Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
Meanwhile, NCA officials have begun to reach out to NBA activists in Badwani as the protest against the dam, begun a month ago, is refusing to die down. A senior NCA member, Dr Afroz Ahmed, met oustee representatives in Badwani on August 27, in order to discuss issues impacting the dam affected persons.
Sources said, Dr Ahmed wanted the oustees' views on catchment area treatment, alternative afforestation, impact of the dam on low lying areas, sand mining along Narmada river, possible rise of submergence level as the dam's 30-odd gates are closed, and possible impact of a severe earthquake on the dam.
A senior NBA activist, Rahul Yadav, said, Dr Ahmed “agreed” to raise the issues raised by oustees' representatives during the crucial meeting on NCA environmental sub-group scheduled for August 31. “We warned him, there is genuine fear among the oustees that if the dam's gates are allowed to be closed down, people would intensify their struggle””, he added.
Apart from Patkar, among the oustees who talked with Dr Ahmed were Kailash Yadav of Karsavad village, Jamsingh Bhilala of Amlali village, Mahesh Sharma of Chikhalda village, Devsingh Tomar of Ekkalbara village, Kamla Yadav of Chhota Vadada village, Kailash Avasiya of Bhilkheda village, and Umesh Patidar of Gopalpur village”, reports Yadav.
"They told him that the state government is not offering agricultural land to the affected oustees and that the rehabilitation sites are not up to the mark. They also said, the calculation of the impact of Narmada dam flooding once gates are closed on the submergence areas is not correct and that fisherfolk have been left out of any rehabilitation package”, Yadav said.

Comments

From algorithms to exploitation: New report exposes plight of India's gig workers

By Jag Jivan The recent report, "State of Finance in India Report 2024-25," released by a coalition including the Centre for Financial Accountability, Focus on the Global South, and other organizations, paints a stark picture of India's burgeoning digital economy, particularly highlighting the exploitation faced by gig workers on platform-based services.

'Condonation of war crimes against women and children’: IPSN on Trump’s Gaza Board

By A Representative The India-Palestine Solidarity Network (IPSN) has strongly condemned the announcement of a proposed “Board of Peace” for Gaza and Palestine by former US President Donald J. Trump, calling it an initiative that “condones war crimes against children and women” and “rubs salt in Palestinian wounds.”

India’s road to sustainability: Why alternative fuels matter beyond electric vehicles

By Suyash Gupta* India’s worsening air quality makes the shift towards clean mobility urgent. However, while electric vehicles (EVs) are central to India’s strategy, they alone cannot address the country’s diverse pollution and energy challenges.

Gig workers hold online strike on republic day; nationwide protests planned on February 3

By A Representative Gig and platform service workers across the country observed a nationwide online strike on Republic Day, responding to a call given by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) to protest what it described as exploitation, insecurity and denial of basic worker rights in the platform economy. The union said women gig workers led the January 26 action by switching off their work apps as a mark of protest.

Jayanthi Natarajan "never stood by tribals' rights" in MNC Vedanta's move to mine Niyamigiri Hills in Odisha

By A Representative The Odisha Chapter of the Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD), which played a vital role in the struggle for the enactment of historic Forest Rights Act, 2006 has blamed former Union environment minister Jaynaynthi Natarjan for failing to play any vital role to defend the tribals' rights in the forest areas during her tenure under the former UPA government. Countering her recent statement that she rejected environmental clearance to Vendanta, the top UK-based NMC, despite tremendous pressure from her colleagues in Cabinet and huge criticism from industry, and the claim that her decision was “upheld by the Supreme Court”, the CSD said this is simply not true, and actually she "disrespected" FRA.

Stands 'exposed': Cavalier attitude towards rushed construction of Char Dham project

By Bharat Dogra* The nation heaved a big sigh of relief when the 41 workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel (Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand) were finally rescued on November 28 after a 17-day rescue effort. All those involved in the rescue effort deserve a big thanks of the entire country. The government deserves appreciation for providing all-round support.

Whither space for the marginalised in Kerala's privately-driven townships after landslides?

By Ipshita Basu, Sudheesh R.C. In the early hours of July 30 2024, a landslide in the Wayanad district of Kerala state, India, killed 400 people. The Punjirimattom, Mundakkai, Vellarimala and Chooralmala villages in the Western Ghats mountain range turned into a dystopian rubble of uprooted trees and debris.

Fragmented opposition and identity politics shaping Tamil Nadu’s 2026 election battle

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* Tamil Nadu is set to go to the polls in April 2026, and the political battle lines are beginning to take shape. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state on January 23, 2026, marked the formal launch of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s campaign against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Addressing multiple public meetings, the Prime Minister accused the DMK government of corruption, criminality, and dynastic politics, and called for Tamil Nadu to be “freed from DMK’s chains.” PM Modi alleged that the DMK had turned Tamil Nadu into a drug-ridden state and betrayed public trust by governing through what he described as “Corruption, Mafia and Crime,” derisively terming it “CMC rule.” He claimed that despite making numerous promises, the DMK had failed to deliver meaningful development. He also targeted what he described as the party’s dynastic character, arguing that the government functioned primarily for the benefit of a single family a...

Over 40% of gig workers earn below ₹15,000 a month: Economic Survey

By A Representative The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, while reviewing the Economic Survey in Parliament on Tuesday, highlighted the rapid growth of gig and platform workers in India. According to the Survey, the number of gig workers has increased from 7.7 million to around 12 million, marking a growth of about 55 percent. Their share in the overall workforce is projected to rise from 2 percent to 6.7 percent, with gig workers expected to contribute approximately ₹2.35 lakh crore to the GDP by 2030. The Survey also noted that over 40 percent of gig workers earn less than ₹15,000 per month.

Search This Blog