Narmada Bachao Andolan celebrates three decades of struggle at Badwani

By A Representative
Farmers of the Narmada valley, farm labourers, potters, fishermen, tribals, and Dalits gathered in Badwani, Madhya Pradesh in a show of strength to mark the 30th anniversary of the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), which was set up on September 28, 1989 in Harshad, district Khandwa.
The gathering was addressed, among others, by NBA leader Medha Patkar.

Present on the occasion to mark the occasion included Dhanshyam Chowdhury of the Swabhiman Shetkari Sangathsn, Member of Parliament and farmers' leader Raju Shetty, Madhuresh Kumar of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, social worker Anil Hebbar, who has been associated with late Baba Amte, Maninder Singh Raisingh Patel (Bittu), President of the Congress-ruled Janpadh Panchayat, Badwani, and Tamil Nadu artist Oviar Pugale Di.

An NBA statement issued on the occasion said, people from villages, towns and villages are watching the displacement of in the Narmada valley, not only of themselves, the land, the trees, forest, culture, but of river Narmada itself, including temples and mosques situated along the river.
It was pointed out at the gathering that even drinking water has not reached to the rehabilitation sites built to resettle Narmada dam oustees, many of who have even today not been compensated for the displacement caused by the Narmada dam. On the other hand, Narmada is trapped in a cycle of getting flooded or going completely dry. Its water is being polluted because of industrial waste.

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