The Hindu : Front Page : Harsud residents: Holding on to their homes despite facing submersion

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Thursday, Jul 01, 2004

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Harsud residents: Holding on to their homes despite facing submersion

By Lalit Shastri

UPROOTED: This girl does not forget her pet while abandoning her home in Harsud, Madhya Pradesh, on Wednesday. — Photo: A.M. Faruqui

HARSUD (M.P.), JUNE 30. The residents of Harsud in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa district are being uprooted from their homes as the town is on the verge of submersion by waters from the Indira Sagar dam during this monsoon.

With only a few days left for the submersion, a large number of the residents are still holding on to their ground and belongings. They were reluctant to leave for alternative resettlement sites even today, the official deadline for vacating the town.

The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Uma Bharti, told the media in Bhopal today that Harsud's residents were "sacrificing their all" for the larger cause of farmers and the State.

After the initial monsoon showers, there has been a lull and the State has remained unusually dry over the last few days. Had it been raining, the Bargi and Tawa dams, the two major upstream Narmada Valley projects, would have released ample water. This would have expedited the submergence of Harsud. The dry spell has come as a respite for the authorities engaged in rehabilitating Harsud's residents.

Fifteen years ago, hundreds of people's movements from all over the country participated in the famous Harsud Rally against the "destructive development" in this centuries-old town.

Moving through the town today, this correspondent saw that a large number of pucca houses have not yet been demolished — a pre-condition for getting compensation for resettlement elsewhere. One could only see the rubble of mud structures of the poor in the low-lying areas. The waters of the Kalimachak river have already reached the road.

The height of the Indira Sagar dam, one of the 30 major Narmada Valley projects, has been raised to 245 metres. Besides Harsud, 120 villages in the surrounding areas will be submerged. About 28,798 families from these villages and 6,166 families from Harsud are being uprooted. The total population being displaced is more than one lakh.

Officials told The Hindu this morning that over 2,000 of the about 6,000 families had voluntarily shifted from Harsud and that efforts were on to move out the remaining families on a war-footing. At a site 2 ½ km from Harsud, 600 sheds have been built and special arrangements made to provide shelter to over 7,000 people. At Chanera village, which is not far away, 400 sheds have been constructed.

The Government has also announced a special relief package including 20 per cent extra compensation to those who leave Harsud by today. An official said the compensation without the special package would still be available to those who leave the town after the deadline.

Villagers who have already been resettled at Jamkotha on the Mundi road, 35 km from Khandwa, are demanding a similar package.

Today, the telephone lines were still working and the power supply was not disrupted at Harsud and police and other security agencies were ready with contingency plans to rescue those reluctant to leave the town when the waters start rising. Police have prepared special video clips that show where the people are still holding ground. These localities and areas have been earmarked for quick rescue operations in case of any emergency.

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