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dam-l Maheshwar:Work Starts
Dear Friends,
Here is the latest on Maheshwar.
WORK STARTED UNDER MASSIVE POLICE PROTECTION AND PROHIBITORY ORDERS
5 April 1998
S.Kumars have started work on the Maheshwar dam site once again from
last week under the protection of heavy police deployment and imposition
of prohibitory orders under Sec.144.
The work is in the nature of preparatory work for building the so called
protection wall. Some machinery has been moved in, as also the machine
to place the dynamite for blasting. It is expected that the blasting
work itself may start anytime in a day or two.
This is blatant violation of the promise made by the Government that the
review of the project would continue with the work remaining suspended.
The people of the area have become enraged at this and have announced
that they will not allow the work to proceed, even if it means facing
the State's repressive forces.
On 3 April, the people staged a massive demonstration - a peaceful
public meeting to protest against the State's betrayal. It was
addressed by, among others, leading social worker Baba Amte. The heavy
police deployment in the area began last week itself, ostensibly to
maintain "law and order" during the time of the demonstration. However,
as NBA had suspected, it was merely a ploy to get in the police, and
start the work.
Apart from police deployment - of over 1500 strength - the State also
imposed prohibitory orders in and around the dam site under Sec.
144. Under the protection of this, the company then started bringing in
labourers and some machinery. Since NBA was trying to resolve the
matter through dialogue, it did not immediately react. However, it is
becoming clear that the state wants to support and push through the
construction.
Finally, when the Government did not listen to dialogue, the villagers
and activists gathered and went to the dam site yesterday. To their
shock, they found that the machine to lay the blasting charges was ready
to swing into operation. They then warned the company not to start the
work. As this ws going on, senior police officers came in and started
threatening the people saying that they had violated the prohibitory
orders. The people retorted saying that they will continue to oppose the
work, and the police may take any action it wants.
Later, the people decided to set up a check post to stop the contractor
from bringing in in any further machinery, which seemed to be pouring in.
Yesterday, three dumpers (trucks) were stopped at the checkpost which
consists of about 50 men and women - and sent back. Again, the police
rushed in and threatened the people. However, people are ready to face
any action. They have decided to set up another check post from today
onwards. And if the work does not stop, major actions will follow.
So for, police have not taken direct action but only threatened the
people. But we expect action from the police any time.
Meanwhile, the state and the company has been making use of money power
to spread disinformation by paying for huge full page ads in local
daylies, and also have set up some "front organisations", non existent
till recently with names like Nimad Environment protection Group etc.
who claim to speak on the people's behalf and support the project.
These have no support or base among the people, and the local people have
warned them not to try and spread false impressions.
Meanwhile, it may be recollected that the work had been stopped
following an understanding with the M.P. Government on 30 Jan. 1998. On
11 March, the Government unilaterally issued an order allowing
construction for the purposes of protection. The Company claims that it
needs to build a wall for protecting the work done so far from the
monsoon waters rushing in. The work done so far consists merely of huge
excavated pits. These remained exposed to the monsoon of 1997 without
much problem. When NBA sat with the Government and Company to see what
the work proposed is like, they found that the company wants to
construct a wall bout 240 m long and very thick, which is a part of the
final project, and which will involve work of couple of months and lot of
blasting. Clearly, it is just another way of continuing the work on the
project, which NBA will not allow.
It may also be noted that this wall will bring submergence in
some villages, and that one of the reasons why people had insisted on
stopping the work was that the blasting was damaging houses in the
adjoining villages.
The people are determined not to allow this back door way of starting
the work. The state seems to be prepared to use the full repressive
apparatus to support the interests of the industry and global capital.
Clearly, the Maheshwar struggle seems to be heading towards a "farmers vs.
Industry and global capital fight."
(Continued to next message)
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