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DAM-L Water Riots: The struggle for water continues in drought-hit (fwd)
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From: Right to Water <right-to-water@iatp.org>
To: dianne@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca
Subject: Water Riots: The struggle for water continues in drought-hit
Date: Tue, 15 May 2001 12:59:57 -0500
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Right to Water (right-to-water@iatp.org) Posted: 05/15/2001 By svarghese@iatp.org
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Water Riots: The struggle for water continues in drought-hit Gujarat
Last year the police fired upon people protesting against government
inaction in dealing with the water crisis in Falla village in Jamnagar
district. This fortnight, the story repeated itself in Rajkot. Eight people
were injured when police intervened to stop protestors from immolating
themselves. A peoples action group called Deshpremi had given an ultimatum
to district authorities to solve the water problem or face direct action.
Aboput 5000 protestors turned violent and pelted stones on the police who
then fired on the protestors.
C L Kotak of the Swadhyay movement [a religio-social movement in western
india, active in water conservation initiatives] says that the riots and
protests have become commonplace. In Rajkot, water contractors are making a
killing by selling water at a very steep price. "They sell 12000 liters of
water for Rs.450 [approx. $10] and make close to Rs. 1,00,000 every month,"
says Kotak. Many farmers around Rajkot district have turned water suppliers
as they find it more lucrative. The contractors buy the water from these
farmers and sell it in the city.
The municipal authority of Rajkot city supplies water only three days a
week. the municipal authorities have no option but to depend on contractors
for supplying water", says Kotak. Rushabh Hemani, a resident of Rajkot who
works on rainwater harvesting says: "The government is promoting the
contractors. The trend to supply water from the villages to the city is
further depleting groundwater sources."
As the water crisis intensifies, it seems the government has once again
failed to learn from past mistakes.
Down to Earth, New Delhi, May 15, 2001, p.8
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