The Hindu : New Delhi News : Narmada Authority no to raising dam height

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Thursday, Aug 28, 2008
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New Delhi

Narmada Authority no to raising dam height

Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI: The Narmada Control Authority (NCA) has declined to give permission to the Gujarat government to install piers and gates in the Narmada dam, which would take the height of the dam to the final 138.68 meters from 121.92 meters.

The NCA in its meeting, chaired by Water Resources Secretary U.N. Panjiyar, decided that no permission would be given until the Rehabilitation and Resettlement sub-group and the Environmental sub-group were consulted.

The NCA overruled the submissions of the Narmada Valley Development Authority (NVDA) for construction of the piers and the gates even while project affected families in the basin States are yet to be rehabilitated

ATRs on rehabilitation

The State governments of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra were asked to submit Action Taken Reports (ATRs)on the rehabilitation and resettlement of dam affected people. They were also advised to consult the Grievance Redressal Agency in each State.

Ex-judge to head panel

In a related move, the Jabalpur High Court last week ordered appointment of a high-level Commission of Inquiry last week into the charges of corruption in the resettlement and rehabilitation of project affected families in Madhya Pradesh.

The Commission, headed by a former High Court judge, would look into allegations of fake registries in the name of those displaced and whether the quality of construction at the rehabilitation sites was sub-standard. Earlier, the environment sub-group, under the NCA appointed an independent panel of experts to inquire whether the Gujarat government had formulated action plans and followed the norms to fulfil the conditions required for permission to construct the dam.

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