Gujarat lifeline gets a halt

It seems like there is no end to the NBA v/s NCA strife. The much awaited meeting of the Review Committee of the Narmada Control Authority (RCNCA) at Delhi to review the decision taken by the Narmada Control Authority (NCA) raising the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam from 110.64 meters to 121.92 meters today failed to achieve a breakthrough. The six-member committee under the chairmanship of Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz split equally with the leaders of BJP-ruled Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan also opposed the work being stopped at "Gujarat's lifeline".

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi intimidating Central government accused it of giving in to the demands of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and said that he would undertake the 51-hour fast at the Sabarmati Ashram from 1400 hours from tomorrow to register his protest against the developments and appealed to the people of the state to remain claim. "The issue is unresolved. There is no decision. There is a tie. Three-fourths of the states are in favor of increasing the height of the dam. The centre and its representatives want to push the country into darkness due to political reasons and I appeal to the people of Gujarat to exert pressure through democratic means", he said.

The counter side was however held by Soz, Environment and Forest Minister a Raja and Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh who finally got realized a resolution recommending to the prime minister immediate suspension of work till all project affected persons were rehabilitated in accordance with the orders of the NCA and the Supreme Court directives. Soz initially announced after the meeting that he as chairman of the NCA has ordered the suspension of the work; he later amended it saying it was in the process of being suspended as it was being immediately recommended to the Prime Minister.

"Since there is a tie and the central team led by me had found that rehabilitation in Madhya Pradesh was not complete in accordance with the directives, through a resolution we are recommending the suspension to the Prime Minister. We are not against the dam’s construction and I know its advantages.” Soz said clearing his perspective over the issue and urged that NBA leader Patkar should now end her indefinite fast.

The protest piloted by Medha Patkar has demanded the Centre not to raise the dam’s height, as several thousands people have turned homeless and will in future meet the same fate because the Centre has failed to rehabilitate the displaced ones. Patkar, 52, began a hunger strike that has now lasted for nearly 20 days. She was moved from a makeshift protest site in central Delhi to a leading hospital recently. The Supreme Court in its judgment in 2005 had said that raising the height of the dam would not be permitted unless the rehabilitation program was carried out properly. Reports from the officials confirmed that the rehabilitation process was still a failure.