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DAM-L Tehri Dam: India
From: "Lorne Stockman & Catherine Barnes" <lorncatherin@gn.apc.org>
To: "DAM List" <dam-l@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca>
Subject: Tehri Dam Action Alert
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 09:03:21 +0100
I have not seen this on the list so I am forwarding now. Apologies for any
cross-postings.
Lorne Stockman
------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 07:58:47 +0530
To: (Recipient list suppressed)
From: Medha Patkar <medhapatkar@vsnl.com>
Subject: TEHRI - Action Alert
Tehri Bandh Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti
C/o Riverview Hotel, Tehri, Uttranchal.
Delhi Contact- NAPM, 14, Supreme Enclave, Mayur Vihar-1 Delhi-91
011-2256394,2250632
NO LAND, NO DAM: PEOPLE'S VOICE FROM TEHRI
The governments both at the centre and in Uttaranchal decided that
the diversion tunnels of the Bhagirathi river should be closed on the 31st
of March so that the flooding of both Bhagirathi and Bhilangna valleys
would begin. However, the issue of rehabilitation has been handled
extremely callously by the governments. In fact no proper rehabilitation
has taken place in the last twenty years. The dam is given environmental
clearance with the stipulation that the rehabilitation should take place
"pari passu" (simultaneously) with the construction of the dam. This
condition has been clearly violated and this fact has been pointed out by
the Hanumantha Rao Committee on Environment and Rehabilitation. This is the
provocation for the current struggle of the people of these two river
valleys.
On the 30th of March, in spite of the heavy rain and cold weather,
more than one thousand people from both Bhagirathi and Bhilangna valleys
marched enthusiastically to the Tehri Dam site and stopped the work there.
People had been mobilized by local leaders in both the valleys. They
demanded land for land and insisted that the work on the dam should stop
till complete rehabilitation of all the affected villages was completed.
From the 31st of March there has been a continuous Dharna by the
people from villages of both Bhagirathi and Bhilangna valleys. The work on
the main dam site has been stopped by this Dharna. Today, the 19th of April
is the 20th day of the Dharna. Every day, a new batch of more than 100 men
and women are sitting in the Dharna. These people represent the villages of
Malideval, Sirain, Dobra and Uppu in the Bhagirathi valley and Badkot,
Assena and Lampungdi of the Bhilangna valley. Villages of the Raika patti,
the region in the hills high above the Bhagirathi have also joined the
struggle now. Studies have shown that this region is likely to slip and
come down when the reservoir of the dam is filled with water. Gradually the
struggle is spreading to all the affected villages of both the valleys.
Women are the main force in this struggle. They are participating in large
numbers, and they are ready to sacrifice their everything in this struggle
for justice. So far four tents have come up in the Dharna Sthal to protect
the people from the intermittent rainfall and the cold weather. As a symbol
of support and unity every woman brings a handful of rice, wheat and dhal
to the Dharna Sthal when she arrives there. Food is being cooked there
everyday for all the people assembled there. In the evenings there are
songs and bhajans in the local Garhwali language.
In the meantime, the administration has been making attempts to
persuade the people to give up their struggle. The District Magistrate came
twice with an assurance from the Uttaranchal government that the
rehabilitation issue would be sorted out within six months. The people
replied that they were tired of assurances and they would continue with
their struggle until every affected family was fully rehabilitated.
On the 13th April, the Chief Minister of Uttranchal sent a message to the
people that they should send some representatives to Dehra Dun to talk to
the Government. To this the people replied that they would not send anyone
to Dehra Dun and if anyone from the Government wanted to talk to them they
should come to the Dharna Sthal. And they were not willing to withdraw
their struggle merely on the basis of assurances.
A couple of days ago, the main contractor to the dam, the Jaya
Prakash Company approached the High Court of Uttaranchal with a prayer that
since the Dharna by the people has made it impossible for the construction
of the Tehri Dam to continue, the Court should order the Uttaranchal
Government to intervene and make sure that the Contractors can go on with
their work.
Sri Sunderlal Bahuguna is also sitting with the people from the 1st of
April onwards. He leads the prayer meetings twice a day and inspires the
people with his presence and his conversations with them.
T.M. Mukundan Sameer Raturi Vimalbhai
We need your support. You can write to the Chief Minister of
Uttaranchal, Dehra Dun asking that the Government of Uttaranchal
· Not continue the work on the Tehri Dam
· Look into the demands of the people immediately
Shri Nitayanand Swami
Chief Minister of Uttaranchal
Secretariat
Dehradun
Uttaranchal
Ph. 0135-740219 Fax. 0135-740977
----- End of forwarded message from owner-dam-l@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca -----