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DAM-L LS: Arundhati questions SC verdict on Sardar Sarovar (fwd)
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2000 12:56:11 -0700 (PDT)
Message-Id: <200010231956.e9NJuBm10021@DaVinci.NetVista.net>
subject: LS: Arundhati questions SC verdict on Sardar Sarovar
Sender: owner-irn-narmada@netvista.net
Precedence: bulk
DECCAN HERALD
Sunday, October 22, 2000
Arundhati questions SC verdict on Sardar Sarovar
NEW DELHI, Oct 22 (PTI)
Noted writer and anti-Narmada project activist Arundhati Roy has
questioned the Supreme Court judgement allowing the construction of
the Sardar Sarovar dam saying the apex court's ruling in a way gave
approval to the "flouting" of all established norms.
"This is not an argument on an emotional or moral issue, but till
date the entire system has been flouted. No survey or evaluation was
made and the Supreme Court says go ahead," Ms Roy said and stated
that the lone "dissent" of Justice S P Bharucha also exposes these
lapses.
Interacting with a group of PTI journalists here, Ms Roy asked, "is
this the way a country like India should be run".
"What sort of a precedent is being set. It is like taking the Indian
map and throwing darts without bothering about the environmental
damage," she remarked.
An anguished Ms Roy alleged that no evaluation of the project cost,
steps to mitigate ecological damage, number of people affected nor
actual benefit had been made while in the name of clearance one
singular thing done was a "simple note from the Prime Minister saying
a river valley project may be discussed".
Visibly upset with the judgement, the Booker prize winner said, "in
retrospect it is easy to say that it was not wise to go to the court.
But in 1994, may be it was strategically important to move the court
of law".
Asked what would be the future course of action of the the Narmada
Bachao Andolan (NBA), Ms Roy said a number of options were open. "One
of them could be approaching President K R Narayanan and the other
could be filing a review petition," she noted.
Answering a question, on how the President could intervene, she said
"I really don't know. In fact all of us should do our bit and I
believe the President can do the most".
Recording her deep appreciation of Narayanan, the celebrated writer
quipped, "of all the public figures in the country today, Narayanan,
I find, is the only person showing statesmanship".
To another question about reports of NBA leader Medha Patkar setting
up a suicide squad to oppose the dam construction, Ms Roy said in a
situation like this when millions are pushed to the wall and their
very existence appears at stake, possibly there are only two options
-- "the Gandhian way or the Veerappan option".
However, she hastened to add, "but I cannot comment on what Medha
should do as I am not in a position to suggest anything better. I
have thought about it (suicide squad) a lot. My position is that I
cannot take a position," the writer-activist quipped.
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