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DAM-L LS: WB President Admits No Plans to Fund Narmada Projects (fwd)
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Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 10:51:08 -0800 (PST)
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subject: LS: WB President Admits No Plans to Fund Narmada Projects
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Narmada Bachao Andolan
B 13 Shivam Flats, Ellora Park, Baroda 390 007
Ph. 0265-382232 baroda@narmada.
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Press Note - 14.11.2000
World Bank President Compelled to meet over 2500 'Civil Society'
representatives:
No plans to fund Narmada again, President admits
Govt. Representatives failed to show up at the Public Hearing on Narmada:
Afraid of being exposed of their false claims, people alleged.
People's organisations, from various parts of the country cautiously take
the promises made by the World Bank President, Mr.James Wolfensohn, before a
gathering of over 2500 people yesterday (13th Nov.). The President who had
to concede to the demand of the people that he should come before them said
that the Bank is for alleviation of poverty. While hearing the people for
over 45 minutes he also said, "I don't want to be held responsible for
problems (of tribals and poor people) for which I have every sympathy". The
people, who are the victims of the present lopsided development paradigm,
pushed ahead by the Bank and their agents, expressed their determination to
fight this paradigm, which push them to deprivation and destitution.
Afraid of being exposed of their false claims about Sardar Sarovar, no
ministers or other officials of the Govt. turned up for the Public Hearing
organised by Indian People's Tribunal (IPT, Mumbai)), at Parade Ground,
Delhi today. Eminent Jury comprising of Jst.(Retd) Tewetia (Retd. Chief
Justice of Calcutta High Court), Jst. Jaspal Singh (Retd. Judge, Delhi High
Court), Mohini Giri (former Chairperson, National Commission for Women),
Haroobhai Mehta (former Member of Parliament and senior Advocate, Gujarat
High Court), Prof.U.R.Ananthamoorthy (Janpith Award winner and writer) and
Ashih Nandi (Academician) is currently hearing the NBA representatives, who
were invited by IPT along with the Govt. Ministries / bodies.
The eminent Jury will hear the people on various issues pertaining to the
Narmada Project (Sardar Sarovar). The issues include, Costs and Benefits,
Social Impacts, Environmental Impacts, Mirage of Benefits for Gujarat ?,
Alternatives etc. The interim findings will be declared on the 16th.
Yesterday, while talking to the people, Mr.Wolfensohn admitted that the Bank
has "made some mistakes in the past and want to correct them". People look
ahead to see whether the realisation of mistakes will make them withdraw
from other destructive projects around the country in particular and world,
in general.
The protest rally which started from Rajghat in the morning (13th) passed
through major junctions of Delhi for over 4 hours and the rally was
converted into a sit-in, when the police stopped from going further, towards
the Bank office. People affected by Bank funded projects in Madhya Pradesh,
Andhra Pradesh, and other places too have taken part in the protest rally.
Contrary to what some of the news papers reported, Mr.Wolfensohn has made it
clear that the Bank doesn't have plans to fund any components of the Narmada
projects. He admitted that the failure to follow the strictures and norms
compelled the Bank to withdraw its earlier loan in 1993. If they get any
request for any projects or its components related to Narmada, they will
consider it only after a thorough evaluation of the same its social and
environmental impacts. The "Rehabilitation issue is a major one" and that
cannot be ignored, Mr.Wolfeshom said.
Cutting through Mr.Wolfensohn's perception that the Bank funded Social
Forestry in Andhra Pradesh is a good experience, Mr.Chennaih from Chittor
(A.P) exposed the veil of Mr.Chandrababu Naidu, who is all out to please
Multinational companies at the cost of his own people. Representatives of
Ekta Parishad, Kisan Adivasi Sangathan and others have made it clear that
the plans to fund the Phase II of Madhya Pradesh Social Forestry will not be
taken lightly and will be fought with tooth and nail.
The Long March Call for Justice, which culminated in Delhi from different
parts of the valley, is in Delhi since Nov. 11th, holding different
programs. In the wake of the Supreme Court judgment, which permits the govt.
to build the dam ahead, without taking care of the various conditions which
are to be taken care of, including rehabilitation of thousands of oustees,
people have no other choice than to appeal to the conscience of the civil
society. Various organisations from different parts of the country and
others from Delhi, representatives from Maheshwar, Bargi, Man, Veda, Tawa
dams (all on Narmada) are also with the Dharna in large numbers.
Joe Athialy
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