NARMADA UPDATE
August 9, 1993
GOVERNMENT CONCEDES DEMANDS FOR REVIEW OF SSP
Julie Triedman
International Narmada Human Rights Panel, Baroda
The Narmada Bachao Andolan has called off the threatened "jal samarpan"
(self-sacrifice by drowning) by Medha Patkar and other activists after
receiving written assurances from the Central Government that several key
demands for an independent review of the Sardar Sarovar project would be
met.
Talks between the NBA and the Water Resources Ministry on August 3 had
failed to bring concessions from the Government, leading the Andolan to call
for a go-ahead to the deaths by drowning. But in a last-minute breakthrough,
Water Minister V.C. Shukla agreed to meet four of five demands put forward
by the anti-dam coalition. In a written memorandum to the Baroda, Gujarat,
NBA office late on August 5, the Government agreed:
1) to accept that the 5-member panel was charged with
a "review" rather than just "discussions" surrounding the
project;
2) to a binding time frame for the review. The panel
will have 3 months to complete the review of all issues
related to the project.
3) to make the report public within a month of the
group submitting it to the Government of India;
4) to withdraw the condition of needing consensus
between the five members.
A last NBA demand, to change the composition of the group, was not met.
The panel has no legal powers. But the fact that the Government has
acknowledged the need for a review, and that there will indeed be an
independent review, is a "major leap in the direction of free and fair
process in evaluating large-scale development projects", says NBA activist
Nandini Oza.
Since August 2, roughly 1,000 people have been arrested, and some have been
mistreated, in huge police operations in riverbank villages and in Baroda.
Currently Andolan leader Medha Patkar and others are trying to reach
Manibeli to explain the Andolan victory. But they have been stopped for the
past two days by police on the road outside of Baroda.
The Government of Gujarat has publicly stated its opposition to a review and
has refused to participate in any panel. Members of the Gujarat Legislative
Assembly have threatened protests on the scale of the NBA's if construction
is delayed.
"They are scared that once again the truth will be out, as in the Morse
Report," said one NBA activist.
Though the immediate crisis is deferred, Manibeli and the villages behind it
are once again facing rising water; in the past month, more than 100
families have been rendered homeless and more than 200 have lost their
annual crops. Relief operations are being mobilized and people are trying
to reach Manibeli and other villages from all over India, defying Government
orders to prohibit entry. The preparations for the review are going ahead
with the first meeting of the panel with the NBA planned for August 12.
ACTION
Write letters welcoming the review and noting that you will be closely
monitoring its progress to:
Shri VC Shukla, Minister of Water Resources, 9 Janpath,
New Delhi. Tel. +91-11-3013883 Fax. +91-11-3016863
(residence)
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Patrick McCully adds:
Medha reached Manibeli today, Monday, despite the efforts of the Gujarat
authorities and the Maharashtra police, who have sunk the NBA's boat. Medha
finally persuaded the police to take her across the river in their motor
launch and then gave a long lecture to the assembled police who met her on
the south (Manibeli) riverbank about their unacceptable behaviour. The
police have been using the houses which were flooded last month as latrines,
and have stolen personal belongings from the houses and taken firewood
without the villagers' permission.
Although most of the hundreds of people detained over the past week have now
been released, 32 people arrested in Manibeli on August 6 are still being
held in Dhule jail. An unknown number of them are reported to have been
badly beaten and refused medical treatment. The whereabouts of a further 6-7
people arrested in Manibeli are unknown.