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dam-l LS: Friends of Narmada/NY Solidarity Coalition Ogden Correspondence
Below are letters to and from Kent Burton of Ogden. People writing to
Burton should ask him for more details of their claimed investigation
of the resettlement situation - who is doing the 'confirmation'? are
they consulting the NBA? who are they consulting? will their report
be made public? when will it be completed? etc. etc.
At least 300 faxes were sent to Ogden yesterday via the Corpwatch web
site. Thanks to Corpwatch and all those who sent faxes.
Patrick
>From: Venu Govindu [mailto:venu@narmada.org]
>Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2000 11:57 AM
>To: kent_burton@ogden-energy.com
>Cc: scott_mackin@ogden-energy.com
>Subject: Ogden Energy in Maheshwar
>
>To,
>Kent Burton
>Senior Vice President
>Policy and International Government Relations
>3211 Jermantown Road
>Suite 300
>Fairfax, VA 22030
>
>
>Dear Mr Burton
>
>We are writing to reiterate our concerns regarding the involvement of
>Ogden Energy in the construction of the Maheshwar dam on the Narmada
>river. As discussed in our meeting in New York City on February 28 2000,
>we are especially worried about the issue of just resettlement and
>rehabilitation of the dam-affected communities. Since Ogden Energy has
>signed a Memorandum of Intent for the Maheshwar Project on March 23rd, in
>the spirit of dialogue opened up by our meeting, we would like to enquire
>as to the exact nature of steps taken by Ogden to resolve the issue of
>just and meaningful resettlement. Furthermore, we would like to express
>our concern at Ogden's failure to engage in a constructive dialogue with
>the grassroots movement in the Narmada Valley, namely the Narmada Bachao
>Andolan (NBA : Save The Narmada Movement). Any meaningful resolution of
>the current crisis will necessarily have to involve the NBA.
>
>Given that during our meeting on February 28, we had made adequately clear
>that we were not representatives of the NBA, we were quite disturbed by an
>article in The Statesman (March 30, 2000) which quoted you as stating that
>you had met representatives of the NBA in New York City to ``reassure''
>the NBA on the issue of resettlement. Apart from the fact that we are not
>the NBA, the question of resettlement was mainly discussed as a problem,
>and the only ``reassurance'' given was that Ogden would ``never''
>participate in a project violating legal and democratic principles.
>
>In light of these reassurances of yours, we are seriously concerned at
>Ogden's progressive involvement in a project at a stage when the issue of
>availability of land and just reparations still remains unresolved.
>Considering the total failure of your Indian partner, S. Kumars, and the
>Government of Madhya Pradesh in demonstrating either the intent to
>resettle or the availability of land for resettlement, we believe that
>Ogden Energy has also taken on the burden of proving the availability of
>suitable land for resettlement and proper rehabilitation.
>
>In view of the fact that Ogden has had no contact with the NBA and that
>Ogden has not responded to many letters from the NBA, we feel that this
>reassurance is beginning to lose force. We fear that Ogden is indifferent
>to the issues of human rights involved in the project, and that the
>company is not pressing for a fair and democratic solution to the
>resettlement problem.
>
>We would like to stress, once again, that there is no land available for
>resettlement in Madhya Pradesh. Project authorities have not yet shown
>the affected people any land of equal quality, as legally required before
>commencing work on the project. There is also a backlog of resettlement
>from the six dams already built in Madhya Pradesh, namely Tawa, Bargi,
>Barna, Sukhta, Kolar and Mathiari. More than 100,000 people have been
>displaced by these projects; not one has been resettled according to the
>conditions of the 1989 Resettlement Policy of the Madhya Pradesh for the
>Narmada Projects.
>
>We would also like to remind you of the repeated human rights violations
>of the peaceful protesters against the dam project. As you would be very
>aware, one such instance occurred shortly before the signing of the
>Memorandum of Intent. On March 8, protesters were brutally manhandled by
>the police as they were peacefully demonstrating at the dam site. Several
>women, in particular, were beaten up. This is a recurrence of the April 22
>and 23, 1998, incidents, in which women were badly beaten and threatened
>with sexual assault. These incidents have been strongly criticized by
>India's National Commission for Women, a statutory agency of the Indian
>Government. Non-violent resistance to the Maheshwar Project has repeatedly
>been met with such brutal force. In light of the history of this project,
>we would like to point out that here in the United States we will hold
>Ogden legally and morally responsible for any further repression of the
>fundamental human rights of the inhabitants of the Narmada Valley.
>
>It is also clear that the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board's 35-year
>guarantee to purchase power generated by the dam will result in
>pauperization of the people of the valley. Since the MPEB is not
>financially able to make the annual payments, it will have to do away with
>the welfare scheme of free single-point connections for the poor as well
>as the subsidized electricity for the irrigation sector. This Project will
>produce power that will cost Rs. 6.5 per kWh at busbar for all power and
>Rs. 9.65 per kWh at busbar for peaking power. It is clear that this power
>cannot be useful and accessible to a vast majority of the people. Moreover
>the large part of this power (nearly 78 % ) will be produced during the
>monsoon when the demand is very low and there is a surplus of power in the
>state. For the 8 non-monsoon months of the year the Project will produce
>an average of only 1-1.5 hours a day.
>
>We also take note of the article in The Statesman that quotes you, Mr
>Burton, as saying that ``great steps'' have been taken towards addressing
>the interests of the affected families. Given the dubious nature of the
>claims of your partner corporation, S. Kumars we would very much
>appreciate concrete proof of such steps.
>
>The Narmada Bachao Andolan is a large grassroots mobilisation of the poor
>and underprivileged in the Narmada Valley. As you are well aware, the
>people of the valley have successfully stalled the much larger Sardar
>Sarovar project and are absolutely determined to prevent any further
>construction on the Maheshwar dam. The people of the valley are going to
>continue their non-violent struggle against the Maheshwar dam and will
>fight for true democracy and respect for human rights. Therefore, it
>appears that without addressing the fundamental concerns of the people,
>completion of the project will be possible only through the use of massive
>police repression against such people.
>
>We are mailing you a copy of this letter along with that of the letter
>written by the Union Power Minister, Mr Kumaramangalam, that was referred
>to in our meeting on February 28.
>
>We thank you for your attention to this matter and look forward to hearing
>from you.
>
>Yours truly,
>
>Sheila Ghose
>Narmada Solidarity Coalition of New York City
>
>Venu Govindu
>Friends Of River Narmada
>
>
>Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 12:13:02 -0400
>From: "Burton, Kent" <Kent_Burton@Ogden-Energy.com>
>To: 'Venu Govindu' <venu@narmada.org>
>Subject: RE: Ogden Energy in Maheshwar
>
>Thanks for your thoughtful letter. I confess I very much thought you were
>representing NBA when we met in February. I apologize for the misimpression
>I received. We are trying to collect data and information regarding the
>resettlement program which has been of concern to you. The government
>collector with whom I met during a visit to the project in March has told us
>that there is land (I've seen the figures and the plot map), and that many
>families have already signed up for resettlement. (As I suspect you know, I
>also me briefly with a representative from the NBA and a couple of villagers
>when I was there.) You and others write to say this is not so, and cite that
>Tata study. We're trying independently to confirm what we've been told.
>
>I look forward to seeing a copy of the letter from the Union Power Minister.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Kent Burton