The Hindu : National : NCA reviews rehabilitation of Narmada oustees

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Thursday, Sep 09, 2004

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National

NCA reviews rehabilitation of Narmada oustees

By Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 8. The official-level Narmada Control Authority (NCA) of the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) today suggested a timeframe of two-and-a-half months for Narmada Valley States to complete the rehabilitation and resettlement of an estimated 13,800 families who would be displaced by the dam at the proposed height of 121 metres.

The dam had been raised to 110.64 metres this monsoon, amid contrary claims of rehabilitation of the people displaced at that height. As of now, both the environmental and rehabilitation and settlement sub-groups of the NCA have not cleared the raising of the dam's height to 121 metres.

At its 72nd meeting, chaired by the Water Resources Secretary, V.K. Duggal, here, the NCA constituted a group of representatives from all States headed by an NCA official to oversee the "technical details'' of rehabilitation. The group will meet every fortnight to review the rehabilitation and environment processes that must be adhered to by the participating States.

While the States report that all of the oustees, who have been displaced at 110.64-metre height, have been rehabilitated, the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) says more than 10,000 families are yet to be rehabilitated even up to that height.

The NCA's recommendations would be reviewed tomorrow in the meeting of the Review Committee of the NCA (RCNCA), chaired by the Water Resources Minister, with the Chief Ministers of the four valley States — Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan — as members.

The official figure of the people for rehabilitation and resettlement at the proposed height of 121 metres, is about 12,000 families in Madhya Pradesh, 600 families in Maharashtra and 1200 families in Gujarat. The NCA also took into account the report of the environmental and rehabilitation and resettlement sub-groups that had met earlier.

The RCNCA would look into Gujarat's claims of outstanding dues from the other valley States. An estimated Rs. 3000 crores is also under dispute between the States. It would also consider the delay in the commissioning of the riverbed power head, which is said to have run into problems, as well as the delay in supply of equipment by the BHEL.

The Gujarat Government is trying to make the Central Government bear its debt and interest burden running into thousands of crores saying it is a national project. It is also claiming funds under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme even though it is far from the "last mile."

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