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Medha Patkar has warned of a situation similar to Uttarakhand in the Narmada Valley in Madhya Pradesh if the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam is increased. Her warning has come following the approval by a sub group of the Narmada Control Authority to a proposal to raise the height of the dam from 122 meters to 138.68 meters.
Patkar said that the lives of two lakh people would be endangered if the height is be increased without completing the rehabilitation of nearly 40,000 families living in submergible areas in three states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat, but mostly in Madhya Pradesh.
Her statement has come even as a final decision on the matter of raising the height of the dam is in the offing as the proposal is now before the Narmada Control Authority headed by the Secretary water resources Ministry.
The increase in height has already been cleared by a Resettlement and Rehabilitation Sub Group of the Narmada Control Authority on June 26 on the basis of the reports by Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra, confirming, that ‘rehabilitation is complete’. The NCA meeting is expected any day , water resources ministry sources said.
While states have claimed completion of rehabilitation process, the Narmada Bachao Andolan has said that 40,000 families are living in 245 villages in the submergence area spread across three states. The maximum are in Madhya Pradesh in 191 villages. They have not been given alternative land, Patkar said.
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The maximum permissible height for the project. is 138.68 meters.
Earlier the maximum height permitted was 166 meters but this was reduced following strong opposition from activists led by Patkar.
Sanjay Parikh lawyer in the Supreme Court said that the apex court both the cases of Sardar Sarovar and Tehri dam had ruled that R and R should be completed before height of the dam can be increased.
The Narmada dam construction is complete except for erection of gates. Once the height is increased and the gates erected the people living in the submergible areas would be impacted, says Parikh. So long as the gates are not there, the submergible areas are safe, he points out.
He said that the state may claim to have completed R and R on the basis of monetary payments made to many of the evacuees, but it is not complete as per the award which promises land for land. He said that the Government was also bound to consider claims of adult members of the family as per the court ruling in Omkareshwar cares.
Besides the State had to provide village like units with all facilities before the people were evacuated. Since none of this has been done, R and R cannot be termed complete, Parikh said. Asked about Patkar's fears of a Uttarkhand type situation, Parikh said that in rainy season, any obstruction to the river is bound to lead to catastrophe if people are not moved to safety.
Meanwhile the dam project rehabilitation in Madhya Pradesh is also being investigated by retired High Court judge Justive SC Jha following charges of fake purchase of land for R&R worth Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 crore.
