Submergence fears trigger protests in Madhya Pradesh, as Gujarat moves to close down Narmada dam's gates

By A Representative
Protests have erupted in the Narmada valley in Madhya Pradesh against the inter-state body, Narmada Control Authority (NCA),which allowed the Gujarat government to close down the Narmada dam’s 30-odd gates. This follows large-scale fear among villagers of the state's highly fertile Nimad area their houses and land, along with their means of livelihood, would be submerged.
In Kukshi town of Dhar district, people from 76 villages gathered to protest against the notice handed over to 6,132 project-affected families (PAFs) , who have been told that their houses, along with shops, schools, temples and mosques, would have to be vacated immediately, as the closure of the dam’s gates would lead to their submergence.
Organized by the Narmada Bachao Andolan, the demonstrators sounded the alarm that about 40,000 families would be adversely affected because of the closure of the gates, which would take the water levels in the Narmada dam’s reservoir up from the present 121.92 metres to 138.64 metres.
Most of the PAFs belong to the agriculturally rich western Nimad area, engulfing Badwani, Dhar, Khargon and Alirajpur districts.
Addressing the gathering, Bhakirath Dhangar of Chikhalda village said, “Narmada is our heritage. It is our wealth. It does not belong to the capitalists. The Shivraj Singh Couhan government of Madhya Pradesh is using force to evict us. We will not give up our fight for our rights.”
Vijay Marola, a young villager, noted, “Our gram sabhas would decide whether to allow our village to go in for submergence or not. Who is the government to decide it on our behalf?”
Mukesh Sipahi and Suresh Patidar of Nisarpur spoke about how about 3,000 families, 46 religious places, and 3,500 big trees would be uprooted in their area as a result of the planned submergence.

“Our cattle would be adversely affected. Potters, fisherfolk, traders and landless workers would all lose their livelihood. We would not let our motherland to be snatched away from us”, they added.
Devram Kanera compared the uprooting of villagers in the Narmada valley’s Nimad area with the recent killing of farmers in police firing in Mandsaur. “The Madhya Pradesh chief minister on both the scores has proved himself to be anti-farmer”, he alleged.
Kukshi MLA Surendra Baghel, supporting the protesters, said that the fight for justice would continue till they were successful, and he and his party, Congress, were with the anti-dam forces led by the NBA.
Addressing the rally, NBA leader Medha Patkar said, the governments of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have “insulted” the PAFs by allowing the gates to be closed down without rehabilitating them. “This would destroy cultural heritage and nature along the Narmada river. This is destruction, and not development”, she underlined.
“The only aim of closing down the gates is the BJP move to win the elections in Gujarat”, Patkar insisted, adding, “The gates’ closure is the outcome of the pro-corporate thinking of the Gujarat government and the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. Those who are suffering are mainly villagers of Madhya Pradesh.”

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

The cost of being Indian: How inequality and market logic redefine rights

By Vikas Gupta We, the people of India, are engaged in a daily tryst—read: struggle—for basic human rights. For the seemingly well-to-do, the wish list includes constant water supply, clean air, safe roads, punctual public transportation, and crime-free neighbourhoods. For those further down the ladder, the struggle is starker: food that fills the stomach, water that doesn’t sicken, medicines that don’t kill, houses that don’t flood, habitats at safe distances from polluted streams or garbage piles, and exploitation-free environments in the public institutions they are compelled to navigate.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

Bangladesh alternative more vital for NE India than Kaladan project in Myanmar

By Mehjabin Bhanu* There has been a recent surge in the number of Chin refugees entering Mizoram from the adjacent nation as a result of airstrikes by the Myanmar Army on ethnic insurgents and intense fighting along the border between India and Myanmar. Uncertainty has surrounded India's Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport project, which uses Sittwe port in Myanmar, due to the recent outbreak of hostilities along the Mizoram-Myanmar border. Construction on the road portion of the Kaladan project, which runs from Paletwa in Myanmar to Zorinpui in Mizoram, was resumed thanks to the time of relative calm during the intermittent period. However, recent unrest has increased concerns about missing the revised commissioning goal dates. The project's goal is to link northeastern states with the rest of India via an alternate route, using the Sittwe port in Myanmar. In addition to this route, India can also connect the region with the rest of India through Assam by using the Chittagon...

Search This Blog