The Hindu : Other States / Madhya Pradesh News : 'Treat dam oustees like human beings'

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Thursday, Jul 01, 2004

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Other States - Madhya Pradesh

'Treat dam oustees like human beings'

By Our Staff Correspondent

BHOPAL, JUNE 30. Jan Sangharsh Morcha, which is a forum of several people's organisations, has criticised the flag march being conducted by the police at Harsud in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh that is coming under the submergence of the Indira Sagar dam.

The Morcha has also accused the State Government and Narmada Hydroelectric Development Corporation (NHDC) of using inhuman tactics to uproot the residents of Harsud. The NHDC is a joint venture company formed by the Madhya Pradesh Government and National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).

On behalf of the Jan Sangharsh Morcha, Alok Agarwal of Narmada Bachao Andolan and Anurag Modi of Shramik Adivasi Sangathan have issued a statement saying that the attempt to remove thousands of families affected by the submergence of the Indira Sagar dam by using "state terror" is inhuman, illegal and unconstitutional. They have also lashed out at the State Government saying that people were being forced to sacrifice their all in the name of national interest. They have demanded that the State Government should immediately withdraw the police force from Harsud and the 129 dam-affected villages in that area.

The Jan Sangharsh Morcha has demanded that the State Government should provide land entitlements and take up the task of rehabilitating the affected people on a war footing. The Government should also explore the possibility of blasting the sluices, other portions of the dam and the blockage of the diversion tunnel so that the submergence area could be reduced this year.

The Morcha leaders have said that the face of development of the new Bharatiya Janata Party

Government has been exposed by its decision to vacate Harsud and the dam affected villages. It is clear that the State Government has compromised the interests of the common people and surrendered to the commercial interests of the NHPC - the majority promoter of the dam that is flush with funds received from foreign banks, they have alleged.

The Morcha leaders have pointed out that all families affected by the dam should have been rehabilitated in every respect at least six months before submergence. This was a mandatory requirement under the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal (NWDT) Award and the judgment of the Supreme Court.

However, both the present BJP Government and the previous State Congress government went ahead and continued building the dam wall.

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