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

Modi’s Israel visit strengthened Pakistan’s hand in US–Iran truce: Ex-Indian diplomat

By Jag Jivan M. K. Bhadrakumar , a career diplomat with three decades of service in postings across the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, and Turkey, has warned that the current truce in the US–Iran war is “fragile and ridden with contradictions.” Writing in his blog India Punchline , Bhadrakumar argues that while Pakistan has emerged as a surprising broker of dialogue, the durability of the ceasefire remains uncertain.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Lata Mangeshkar, a Dalit from Devdasi family, 'refused to sing a song' about Ambedkar

By Pramod Ranjan* An artist is known and respected for her art. But she is equally, or even more so known and respected for her social concerns. An artist's social concerns or in other words, her worldview, give a direction and purpose to her art. History remembers only such artists whose social concerns are deep, reasoned and of durable importance. Lata Mangeshkar (28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was a celebrated playback singer of the Hindi film industry. She was the uncrowned queen of Indian music for over seven decades. Her popularity was unmatched. Her songs were heard and admired not only in India but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and many other South Asian countries. In this article, we will focus on her social concerns. Lata lived for 92 long years. Music ran in her blood. Her father also belonged to the world of music. Her two sisters, Asha Bhonsle and Usha Mangeshkar, are well-known singers. Lata might have been born in Indore but the blood of a famous Devdasi family...

'Batteries now cheap enough for solar to meet India's 90% demand': Expert quotes Ember study

By A Representative Shankar Sharma, Power & Climate Policy Analyst, has urged India’s top policymakers to reconsider the financial and ecological implications of the country’s energy transition strategy in light of recent global developments. In a letter dated April 10, 2026, addressed to the Union Ministers of Finance, Power, New & Renewable Energy, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and the Vice Chair of NITI Aayog, with a copy to the Prime Minister, Sharma highlighted concerns over India’s ambitious plans for coal gasification and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR).

Health Day ads spark row as NAPi targets Britannia campaign, criticizes celebrity endorsement

By A Representative The advocacy group Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi) has raised concerns over what it describes as misleading advertising of ultra-processed food products (UPFs), particularly those high in sugar, fat and salt, calling for stricter regulations and an end to such promotions across media platforms.

Search This Blog