[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
dam-l LS: Gujarat resumes work on Sardar Sarovar dam
[THE HINDU]
Saturday, February 20, 1999
SECTION: Regional
Section Index | Previous Story | Next Story |
Gujarat resumes work on Sardar Sarovar dam
Date: 20-02-1999 :: Pg: 08 :: Col: d
By Manas Dasgupta
KEVADIYA COLONY, Feb. 19.
A jubilant Gujarat today resumed construction of the main dam
of the multi-purpose Sardar Sarovar reservoir on the Narmada
river after a break of about four years. The clearance for
resuming construction given by the Supreme Court through its
[Image] interim order yesterday has been widely welcomed in the State.
The BL
MODE The Pradesh Congress(I) president, Mr C. D. Patel, the leader
Survey on of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Mr. Amarsinh
Teenagers Chaudhary, and leaders of various political parties described
the order as a victory for the people of the State. Mr.
Chaudhary also reminded the people that most of the spadework
for the construction of the dam was completed during the
Congress(I) regime.
The construction activities at the main dam had remained
suspended since 1995 following a stay granted by the apex
court on a petition filed by the Narmada Bachao Andolan on the
issue of rehabilitation of the affected people. It was
supported by the Madhya Pradesh Government which wanted the
height of the dam to be reduced from the 455 feet awarded by
the Narmada Tribunal to at least 436 feet to save some areas
in that State from submergence.
The resumption of construction work in the presence of the
Chief Minister, Mr. Keshubhai Patel, at the ``auspicious''
time of 12.39 p.m. amidst chanting of Vedic hymns recreated
the jubilant atmosphere the State first witnessed when the
tribunal announced its award and the first stone of the dam
was laid in 1979.
Considering that the State suffered a notional loss of about
Rs 8 crores a day since the construction activities stopped,
the Government was not prepared to waste time after the apex
court's clearance. It made arrangements overnight to
reassemble the equipment and summon man-power. According to
the Minister for Narmada Affairs and major irrigation, Mr.
Jaynarayan Vyas, it would take about 18 months for the State
to raise the dam to the height of 110 metres, when the Narmada
waters could begin flowing into the state.
The construction had remained suspended at 80.3 metres, but
the Supreme Court has now permitted the State to go up to 85
metres before yet another review of the rehabilitation
measures by a three-member Grievance Redressal Authority
headed by Mr. Justice P. D. Desai by April 9.
The Chief Minister also announced that the seven-year old
problem of shipment of generators for the hydel power
component of the project from Japan had been amicably sorted
out and that the ships carrying the equipment were expected to
set sail for the State sometime next month.
During the last four years, as the work on the dam remained
suspended, the State Government had been concentrating on the
construction of the main and branch canals to keep them ready
for supplying water to the Kutch-Saurashtra regions as soon as
the dam reached the height of 110 metres.
Pointing out that Gujarat had offered the ``world's most
progressive'' rehabilitation and resettlement programme to the
Narmada dam-affected, Mr. Patel and Mr. Vyas assured the
people that the Government would give them no scope for
complaints. Mr. Vyas estimated that the State would require
another Rs. 12,000 crores to complete the remaining work on
the dam, including the construction of canals.
The Government has also thanked the Centre and the Governments
of Maharashtra and Rajasthan for supporting the State's stand
in the Supreme Court. It hoped that the M.P. Government too
would extend co-operation for the early completion of work on
the ``lifeline of Gujarat.''
---------------------------------------------------------------
Section Index | Previous Story | Next Story |
---------------------------------------------------------------
Front Page | Lead Stories | National | International |
Regional | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Classified | Employment | Features |
Home | Site Map | Search | Archives | Advertisers | What's NEW
| About HOL | Feedback |