[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

DAM-L LS: Public Hearing at Kevadia colony by the SSP oustees (fwd)



----- Forwarded message from owner-irn-narmada@netvista.net -----

Return-path: <owner-irn-narmada@netvista.net>
Received: from DaVinci.NetVista.net (mjdomo@mail.netvista.net [206.170.46.10])
	by lox.sandelman.ottawa.on.ca (8.8.7/8.8.8) with ESMTP id RAA20269
	for <dianne@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca>; Sat, 1 Dec 2001 17:19:28 -0500 (EST)
From: owner-irn-narmada@netvista.net
Received: [(from mjdomo@localhost)
	by DaVinci.NetVista.net (8.10.0/8.8.8) id fB1M9VY05563
	for irn-narmada-list; Sat, 1 Dec 2001 14:09:31 -0800 (PST)
	(envelope-from owner-irn-narmada@netvista.net)]
Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2001 14:09:31 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <200112012209.fB1M9VY05563@DaVinci.NetVista.net>
Subject: LS: Public Hearing at Kevadia colony by the SSP  oustees
Sender: owner-irn-narmada@netvista.net
Precedence: bulk

Narmada Bachao Andolan,
B-13, Shivam Flats, Ellora Park, Baroda-390007
Phone:0265 282232, Email: baroda@narmada.org


Press Note:
1.12.2001

Public Hearing at Kevadia colony by the SSP  oustees and the distortion by
Media and Government of Gujarat


The flawed and distorted report on the Public Hearing in Kevadia Colony held
on 23.11.2001 are not shocking but rather revealing. The criticism levelled
against NBA by media and ruling party shows the well known callousness and
lack of sincerity in the oustees issue while claiming ideal rehabilitation.
While Ex-justice of Gujarat High Court, Ex-Chief Justice of Rajasthan along
with Haroobhai Mehta, one of the senior advocate, Kiritbhai Bhatt, senior
journalist cum editor, and Sohan Singh of PUCL where the judges who thought
it their duty to hear the oustees of Sardar Sarovar reservoir, Colony,
Canal, they were unjustifiably attacked and defamed by media and a handful
of politicians, who are indeed working against the interest of the affected
people and the project itself.

The oustees of six villages and others under Narmada Bachao Andolan decided
to hold a Public Hearing only since their genuine grievances are not being
addressed over years and decades. What was organised in Kevadia colony on
23rd November, was a simple Public Hearing. What we saw was a totally
distorted and biased media reports through pro-dam reporters. Even though
hundreds of oustees were arrested and prevented by police from attending and
expressing their grievances in the public hearing, many hundreds succeeded
in attending the hearing. Colony affected ousted in 1961, Canal affected
ousted since 1979, rock fill-dyke affected ousted in 1985, and reservoir
affected ousted since 1980s deprived of their life supporting systems who
are relocated and not resettled. The first 3 groups left out of the scope of
R&R policy, the reservoir affected entitled for land for land, community
resettlement, etc. along with other amenities but large number of them
already evicted are yet to get their due entitlements. Public hearing became
necessary, as the Grievance Redressal Authority (Gujarat) have not shown the
capacity to solve the main problems of land. GRA even refused to give an
appointment to the organised oustees.

The arrest of adivasis at 3 am on the previous night, later arrest of Medha
Patkar in spite of release within 10 minutes due to the presence ad
intervention of sensible senior police officer and not taking any action
against the handful of politicians who tried to sabotage the public hearing
clearly shows the callousness of the state government towards the oustees
and state's desperation to scuttle the people's voice and its incapacity to
deal with non-violent people's movement.

In fact, even the Supreme Court has said in its order that complete
resettlement and rehabilitation is a must and non-fulfilment will lead to
stop the dam construction in spite of approval of authorities and
governments.

The Public Hearing was successful in spite of all the efforts to sabotage it
and the years old grievances of adivasis were heard by all the judges with
sensitivity and understanding.

The state, various political parties and media need to understand that with
no possibility of greening Kutch and Saurashtra and extreme inadequacies as
well as non-implementation in the case of resettlement policies, the
monstrous Sardar Sarovar Project can not be pushed ahead. The political
expediency will only boomerang as it has been the case. The adivasis and
others of Gujarat, already affected and to be affected in the Sanctuary in
Dadiapada, in Narmada district, canal, colony, reservoir are determined to
raise their voice against injustice.


M.K.Sukumar
Geetanjali



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to majordomo@netvista.net
with no subject and the following text in the body of the message
"unsubscribe irn-narmada".

----- End of forwarded message from owner-irn-narmada@netvista.net -----