(Image source from: Why Medha Patkar objects to raising Narmada Dam's height?})
The Sardar Sarovar dam built across the Narmada river can now be raised to a height of 138 metres from its existing height of 121 metres. The permission to extend the dam height by 17 metres was granted by the Narmada dam control authority.
The recent development of full reservoir level on the Narmada dam will bring an additional 6.8 lakh hectares of farm land with assured water for irrigation. Besides, it would increase power generation by 40%, and additional water supply.
The Gujarat government and the state BJP have plans for a grand celebration all over the state soon. Even PM Narendra Modi will attend the celebrations, according to reports. However, not everyone is happy about the raising of the Sardar Sarovar dam height.
Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar has expressed her disapproval of the decision. Patkar says that it's undemocratic and unjust to the people living in the area that would be submerged due to the additional height in the Narmada dam. She feels that the concerned ministry need to assess the ground situation before giving the approval to increase dam height.
A delegation of tribals in Maharashtra, who would be affected by the raised dam height, had met Nandurbar collector P Pradip earlier this week under the banner of the NBA. Their demand to the collector was to rehabilitate the tribals who have already been affected by the dam before raising the height of Narmada dam. Their move was in anticipation of an additional raising of dam height, based on media reports.
The additional height would affect over 250,000 people, who are presently residing in the submergence area of Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, according to NBA.
The NBA activists feel that proper rehabilitation of the tribals should be a prerogative of the government as their homes, agricultural and horticultural assets, markets and places of worship will be lost. Raising the dam height without rehabilitating the tribals would be a violation of the Supreme Court ruling and amount to contempt of court, said the NBA.
As prime minister of India, Modi should take steps to ensure that none of the families, who have not been rehabilitated, get affected due to the raised dam height, said Medha Patkar.
The NBA delegation that met the Nandurbar collector informed him that almost 1,000 tribal families from Maharashtra had not been rehabilitated with houses, land, irrigation and other basic amenities.
They also made a demand for full-fledged health facilities, availability of rations regularly and boat service in every village as lack of these have led to death or destruction. These poor tribals are afflicted by snake bites and crocodile attacks, lack of jetties or water lifting schemes, said the activist.
The tribals are not in favour of accepting monetary compensation instead of land. An NBA activist says that 51 tribals who had taken money in lieu of land felt cheated and are willing to return the money.
Dams are necessary for the economic growth and development of a country. But it also affect a certain segment of society which is poor and defenceless. The government should take the middle path and opt for more number of small dams, which would affect fewer people. Also, the people who are affected due to submergence should be adequately compensated by land, house and other basic amenities. No one should feel left out while the country moves towards greater economic growth and development.
(AW: Pratima Tigga)
