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DAM-L LS: Maharashtra Appoints Committees to Review SSP (fwd)
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Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 11:48:14 -0800 (PST)
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subject: LS: Maharashtra Appoints Committees to Review SSP
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Narmada Bachao Andolan
B - 13, Shivam Flats, Ellora Park, Baroda
Press note 4.1.2001.
Government of Maharashtra appoints independent committees to review
Sardar Sarovar Project
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri.Vilasrao Deshmukh has agreed
to constitute an independent committee (Satyashodan Samiti) to look
into the Government claims and ground reality of the rehabilitation
of Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) oustees and a Review Committee
(Samiksha Samuha) to look into the costs-benefits of the projects.
This was given to a delegation met him today at Mantralaya.
The 30 member delegation consisted of Medha Patkar, Vestabhai, Keshuv
Vasave, Gita Vasave, Noorji Padvi, Vesta Pavra, Harilal Pavra, Ranya
Daya and others of Narmada Bachao Andolan and Bopshetty, Anil Ghag,
Vidya Patil, Anita Patil, Kashinath Kulkarni, Barrister Palav, Bhau
Buskute, Lata P.M., N.D.Kohli etc. as independent observers. The
delegation met the chief minister Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh where the
Deputy Chief Minister Shri Chhagan Bhujpal, Minister of Rural
Development Shri R.R.Patil, Minister of Rehabilitation Shri Vilasrao
Patil and Employment Guarantee Minister Shri Ganpathrao Deshmukh were
also present.
The ‘Review Committee’ will assess the environmental and social costs
besides the economics of the Sardar Sarovar project. In this context
the committee will look into the magnitude and cost of power that
Maharashtra is entitled to from this project. Further, and most
importantly, the committee will assess the justifiability of this
project by weighing the benefits and costs of this project. The
committee will consist of representatives of the Government and
Narmada Bachao Andolan besides few experts.
The Satyashodan Committee would be a fact-finding group looking into
the details of displacement and rehabilitation of the people affected
by the project. It will assess the compliance or otherwise with the
Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal Award and the State R&R policy and
give its opinion on the status and implementability of
rehabilitation. The group will look into the availability of
agricultural land for rehabilitation.
Both the committees that would have recommendatory status would
submit their reports by the end of February. The Government of
Maharashtra, the Chief Minister and other ministers present including
the Deputy Chief Minister responded positively to NBA’s plea that the
State Government should not approve any construction beyond 90 metres
till the reports of the two committees are taken into consideration.
In any case it has been proven by latest reports of various concerned
authorities including the R&R Sub-group, Narmada Control Authority
and the Field Visit reports that the rehabilitation of the affected
families is far from complete. Even the Master Plan for the
rehabilitation of thousands of affected families is not yet ready.
This is not just a violation of the Award but also of the Supreme
Court order! The Andolan continues to hold its position on Sardar
Sarovar that it is one of the big dams wherein social and
environmental costs are neglected and the economics is always proven
bad with the realized benefits being much less than planned. NBA will
present and prove its stand through detailed submissions and
statistics before these groups and expects the Government of
Maharashtra, atleast at this stage, to take a pro-people stance in
the case of Sardar Sarovar.
In the morning the PAFs gheraoed the Grievance Redressal Authority
office and had a face to face confrontation with the chairperson Jst.
S.P. Kurdukar regarding the status of rehabilitation. He
categorically stated his position that the rehabilitation of PAFs
affected at 90 metres is still not complete and the agricultural land
required for the same is yet to be identified by the State
Government.
It may be recalled that over 100 representatives from the tribal
villages of the Narmada Valley were on a dharna in Mumbai since 2nd
January 2001, demanding the Government of Maharashtra to take serious
cognizance of the ground reality regarding enormous magnitude of
displacement and failure in rehabilitation in Sardar Sarovar Project.
People’s demand for appointment of an independent committees to
assess the situation were agreed by the Chief Minister. People
returned to the valley with renewed resolve to fight to save the
Narmada Valley and life itself!
Clifton Rozario
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