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dam-l Update from NBA: Success at Maheshwar
>
>Update from Maheshwar (India)
>
>MAHESHWAR OCCUPATION ENDS AS GOVERNMENT AGREES TO ALL DEMANDS; WORK STOPPED
>AND COMPLETE REVIEW ORDERED.
>
>(from Shripad Dharmadhikary, Narmada Bachao Andolan, 2 February 1998)
>
>The occupation of the Maheshwar dam site since January 11 and the
>indefinite fast started on January 26 came to an end on the midnight of
>January 30 as the government accepted in toto all demands, ordering
>stoppage of work and a total review of the project. The announcement was
>made by the Deputy Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh who came personally to
>the dam site to make the announcement. The Dy CM Shri Subhash Yadav also
>holds the charge of the Narmada Development ministry.
>
>On 30th evening, even as the news that the government had almost accepted
>the demands spread in the submergence area, thousands of people started
>pouring in at the occupation site. By midnight, the crowd had swelled from
>3000 to over 8000. At midnight, Shri Yadav came to the dam site and made
>the official announcement, accompanied by written government orders. In the
>order dated 30. 1. 1998 issued by the Narmada Valley Development
>Department, the Government of Madhya Pradesh ordered the Energy Department
>to stop work on the power house, the dam as also the work of land
>acquisition. The orders also stated that a decision will be taken on the
>construction only after the report of the Task Force created to review this
>has been obtained. An accompanying order of the same department also
>directs the Task Force (constituted earlier to discuss and prepare a
>framework of alternative planning of the Narmada Valley) to review the
>Maheshwar project on a priority basis and submit the report to the same.
>The Task Force has been created earlier following a two-day seminar
>organized by the Government of MP entitled "Narmada Valley Development -
>Reviews and Alternatives" which discussed the severe social and
>environmental impacts, financial, economic, cost-benefit aspects of the
>(proposed) 30 large, 135 medium and 3000 small dams in the valley and the
>possible alternatives. The Task Force consists of representatives of the
>government of MP, independent experts like Prof. Amulya Reddy and
>representatives of the NBA including Medha Patkar and Alok Agrawaal.
>
>With this victory the one year old struggle has managed to bring the work
>on the project to a grinding halt. The 20 day occupation and 5 day fast has
>been called off. All those on fast are recovering rapidly including Alok
>Agarwaal who was critical and admitted to the hospital after withdrawing
>the fast.
>
>Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see how the foreign players will react
>to this - including equipment suppliers ABB (confirmed by VP Jan
>Stromblad), Siemens (confirmed - seen written contract) and Bayerische
>Vereinsbank giving term loan to the project.
>