— Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

FOR A CAUSE: Actor Aamir Khan lends an ear to the problems of the Narmada Bachao Andolan activists during a protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Friday.

NEW DELHI: With the crucial political meeting of the Review Committee of the Narmada Control Authority slated for Saturday, there was overwhelming support for the Narmada dam displaced people, whose dharna entered the 29th day on Friday.

Actors Amir Khan and Rahul Bose expressed solidarity with the displaced families and separately visited the fasting Narmada Bachao Andolan leader, Medha Patkar, at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences here. Ms. Patkar's hunger strike entered the 17th day on Friday. Several Gandhians and social activists, including the chairman of the Sarva Sewa Sangh, Amar Nathbhai Aruna Roy, Jean Dreze, Shekhar Singh of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information and Vandana Prasad of the Jan Swasthaya Abhiyan, joined the dharna.

Memorandum submitted

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, along with Bharatiya Janata Party members of Parliament from the State, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday. The MPs later met Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz and submitted a memorandum seeking the smooth construction of the dam and the rehabilitation of displaced families. In a separate letter to the Minister, Mr. Modi said the visit by the Group of Ministers (GoM) to the Narmada valley was not consistent with the established procedure. "As such, legally, the GoM has no locus standi in the matter."

Committee to meet

The NCA Review Committee will meet on Saturday to review the decision of the Narmada Control Authority to raise the height of the Narmada dam in Gujarat from 110.64 metres to 121.92 metres. Chief Ministers of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan are members of the Committee, which is chaired by Mr. Soz.

The NBA has alleged that nearly 35,000 families are yet to be rehabilitated, which is a violation of the Narmada award and the Supreme Court orders. The award and court orders say all families must be rehabilitated at least six months before submergence.

A Central Group of Ministers visited Madhya Pradesh to assess the rehabilitation there last week. Their report, however, has not been made public so far.

Speaking to the media, Ms. Roy, Mr. Dreze and Mr. Singh said that to their query on making the GoM report public, the Prime Minister's Office replied that they should write to the Ministry of Water Resources. They have now written to Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah seeking the information within 24 hours under the Right to Information Act.

`Gratitude and reverence'

Ms. Roy said: "The Government position and blatant violation of Supreme Court orders tells us that democracy is at stake. The National Common Minimum Programme says that more effective system for relief and rehabilitation would be put in place for displaced tribals. What is happening is a mockery of assurances. I bow my head in gratitude and reverence to the NBA for showing that issues of development can be fought peacefully. They are fighting for people who are all equal under the Constitution. That is why this campaign is popular all over the world."

Mr. Singh, who is a member of the Sub-Group on Environment of the Narmada Control Authority, said he raised the point of lack of monitoring of rehabilitation on the ground at the last meeting a year ago, but his observations were not included in the minutes.

Compelled to support

Actor Rahul Bose, who visited Bhadal and Bhavaria villages in the Narmada valley, said he was compelled to show support because he felt democracy was in danger the way the Narmada struggle was being handled.

"I find something very wrong with the Government asking the people in the valley to sacrifice their lands and homes for the country and then forgets about them."

Gandhian Amar Nath reminded people of the Mahatma's mantra: "Whenever in doubt, think of the face of the poorest person and consider whether your action benefits him/her or not."

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail