Centre bridging to Patkar over Narmada issue

The mounting pressure from the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activists and continuing hunger strike of activist Medha Patkar has finally made the centre authorities bend over the Narmada issue. The decision to review NCA recommendations, taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), came shortly after NBA’ 48-hour ultimatum to the government. The Narmada Control Authority earlier in the month announced raising of height of the dam to 121.9 meters from the current 112 meters.

According to the anti-dam activists, 35,000 families would be rendered homeless by this decision to increase the height of the dam. Holding the victory triumph Patkar, who has been admitted at AIIMS with her hunger strike entering its 15th day today said, “This is the minimum decision but I wish it had been done earlier. The strike won’t be suspended simply because they have decided to review. We are continuing our fast for now." Aruna Roy, a member of the National Advisory Council, who used the Right to Information Act, asked the prime minister’s office to release the report of the ministerial team, which visited the affected areas within 48 hours on Wednesday, joined the efforts of the anti-dam activists too.

Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz, who led a team of ministers, including Meira Kumar and Prithviraj Chavan, to the site to review the rehabilitation work in the affected areas of the Sardar Sarovar project in Madhya Pradesh, had earlier intended a review meeting following the decision of the height clearance. The meeting, to be attended by chief ministers of the four states concerned and the Environment Minister, will be chaired by Soz and is expected to be held on April 15.

CPM leader Brinda Karat who met PM Manmohan Singh over the issue earlier divulged that the PM has admitted his inability to supersede the decision that the Narmada Control authority has taken. "The three ministers' report will also be made public once it is reviewed by the authority. But the PM had no answer when we asked him about the rehabilitation of the people. He has made it very clear that he will not directly get involved. It is a half hearted measure, but the good news is that the report by the ministers is compelling enough to call the review committee," said Karat.

Currently the work on the dam at Kevadia colony in Narmada district is in full swing after last month's decision of the Narmada Control Authority (NCA). The Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP), including the under-construction dam on Narmada in central Gujarat and the canal network, is aimed at solving water shortage in Saurashtra and Kutch regions of the state. Politically, the decision of the CCPA entails a huge political cost for the Congress in Gujarat as there is a complete accord in the state against any review of the height of the dam. The BJP and the Congress had jointly opposed the demand of the Narmada activists. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had announced this NCA decision in the Gujarat Assembly and said that the raising of the dam's height will benefit parched areas of Gujarat and will generate more electricity.

However P K Laheri, Chairman of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) considering the decision to review the raising of the height of Narmada dam by the UPA government as “routine” phenomena said. "The review meeting ordered by the government is routine. The work on the Sardar Sarovar Dam has to be reviewed every three months as per the Supreme Court directives and this announcement is as per the court orders."