The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) has decided to hold a big gathering at Badwani, Madhya Pradesh, on the banks of river Narmada in order to highlight how even 34 years after the Narmada dam began being constructed about 30,000 families allegedly have not been rehabilitated, and thousands of houses, shops, temples and mosques in the Narmada valley are still in the danger of being submerged.
An annual event, several social organizations, researchers, artists, journalists, representatives of the displaced people and activists are going participate in the gathering on July 31 to “resolve to continue fighting for people’s rights”, NBA said in a statement, insisting, “Villages cannot be vacated by force. Without rehabilitation, forcible displacement would be against law as also against various decisions of courts and constitutional values.”
Pointing out that till Madhya Pradesh ensures that all the facilities for rehabilitating the people of 192 villages and 1 township to be submerged are provided, NBA said, it would be “unjust” to displace them. Forest dwellers should be given land entitlements in accordance with the Forest Rights Act, while farmers’ land cannot be acquired except by applying the land acquisition Act.
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