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dam-l LS: "Sacrifice in Water" Inevitable If SSP Dam Height Raised
NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN
B-13, Shivam Flats, Ellora Park, Baroda-39007
(Tel +91 265 382232; Fx. Attn. +91 265 330430)
Press Note July 12
"Sacrifice in Water" Inevitable If Dam Height Raised
People Demand Review of SSP with New Tribunal, Public Hearing
Reasserting that the people in the Narmada valley would face the
submergence this monsoon, Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andolan has
declared that the people will be compelled to resort to 'Jal Samarpan'
(Sacrifice in Water) if any more work is allowed on the Sardar Sarovar
Project (SSP) before the undertaking of a comprehensive review of the
project with a new inter-state tribunal and public hearings on contentious
issues.
This declaration was made on Sunday (July 11) at a public meeting in the
Narmada-side village of Domkhedi (Maharashtra), where the Narmada Bachao
Andolan has been undertaking Satyagraha (non-violent mass action). Hundreds
of men and women from the SSP submergence villages and resettlement sites
were present to express their resolve to oppose the submergence and
displacement.
Patkar and eight other activists broke a seven-day-old fast before their
statement was read out. Afterwards, the villagers and activists from
various organisations formed a human chain around the nearby Khad River, a
tributary of the Narmada, as a symbol to protect the river. The people,
particularly the youngsters, then enthusiastically demolished a replica of
the Sardar Sarovar dam chanting slogans against the dam and displacement.
Sitarambhai Patidar, Pankiya Vasave, Philip Mathew, Tarabai Patidar, Ranjit
Vasave Komalbehn and Medha ended their fast in Domkhedi. Gulabsinghbhai and
Bawa Muhariya were on fast in Jalsindhi on the opposite bank of the Narmada
in Madhya Pradesh.
Programmes in solidarity with the people of the Narmada Valley were held on
July 12 at various places around the country including Calcutta, Mumbai,
Delhi, Dhule, Malegaon, Nandurbar, Trivandrum, Madurai, Kochi, Bangalore,
Nagpur, Benaras, and Jaipur. The supporting organisations have sent
memorandums to the President, Prime Minister and the three concerned Chief
Ministers of Gujarat, Maharashtra and M.P. In the valley, the main towns of
Anjad and Badwani were closed on 12th, with large public rallies. Dr.
Sanjay Joshi, of Malegaon Support Group, ended his five-day-long solidarity
fast on Monday.
Medha Patkar stated that the people would be confronting the unjust
submergence at the place of Satyagraha and in their own houses, even at the
cost of their lives. The government "should not make false promises, while
conspiring to drown the people and their land," she said.
"We will also give an opportunity to the President of India to intervene in
the matter to save the tribals, as a part of his constitutional obligation.
We will expose the destruction caused by the dam and submergence before the
nation, we cannot be silenced".
Medha Patkar and the people declared that if any more work is allowed on
the dam before a decision to review SSP with the constitution of a new
tribunal and public hearings, then the people will have to pose an ultimate
non-violent challenge to the system with 'Jalap-Samarpan'
(Dedication/Sacrifice in Water). The decision to review SSP must also
include the just and full resettlement of those already displaced by the
reservoir, canals, colony (the town built for the dam workers), and
wildlife sanctuary (supposed to compensate for habitat lost to submergence).
The decision about this ultimate step would be taken if the work on the dam
restarts, she said.
While discussing the judicial processes, she asserted that "the upcoming
submergence will violate the decision of the Narmada Water Disputes
Tribunal (NWDT), the Constitutional provisions and the previous orders of
the Supreme Court itself. In such situation, the judicial process and
system should not prove unjust merely due to the machinations of the
powerholders."
She made it clear that the decision on 'Jal-Samarpan' in the extreme case
of injustice, was not a sign of frustration, exhaustion or defeat. Nor is
it a sign of escaping from the struggle. Instead it is accepting the
challenge and responding to it.
The challenge is to work for an alternative system without exploitation,
injustice and inequality; for the right to life and right over resources
for tribals, Dalits, landless, peasants, workers, and women. This
alternative development would be based on sustainable technology and
people-based decision-making. For such long-term work, another tapa (twelve
years) of Jan-Samarpan (Dedicated to the People) is necessary. She appealed
to the youth to rise to the occasion and dedicate a year of their life to
such work in Narmada valley and elsewhere.
Among those present in Domkhedi on July 11 were Mr. Bhai Vaidya, Secretary
of Samajwadi Jan Parishad, Prof. Sanjay M.G., National Coordinator of
National Alliance of People's Movement (NAPM), Ms. Juliette Majot of
International Rivers Network, representatives of Nari Samata Manch,
Girangao Sangharsha Samiti, Students Christian Movement, Association of
India Development, Lok Samiti, and students of Tata Institute of Social
Sciences.
The Satyagraha was launched on June 20. A meeting of project-affected
people's organisations from different parts of country will be held at the
Satyagraha site 15 -17 July.
Narmada Bachao Andolan
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
<www.narmada.org>
Shripad Dharmadhikary, Baroda: nba@lwbdq.lwbbs.net Tel +91 265 382232
Jharana Jhaveri, Delhi: janmadhyam@vsnl.com Tel. +91 11 2211851
Pervin Jehangir, Mumbai: jehangir@giasbmc.vsnl.net.in
Tel. +91 22 2184779 / 2185832
Venu Madhav Govindu, New Jersey : venu@narmada.org +1 609 951 2823 (o)
Patrick McCully, California: patrick@irn.org
Tel. +1 510 848 1155 (o) +1 510 528 2930 (h) +1 510 499 9778 (mobile)
Peter Bosshard, Switzerland: finance@evb.ch Tel. +49 1271 6425
Alex Wilks, England: bwref@gn.apc.org Tel. +44 171 523 2170