Social activist Medha Patkar on Friday continued for the second day her fast to protest against the government's 'apathy' towards resettlement of those affected by the increase in the height of Sardar Sarovar Dam.
Patkar, the founder of Narmada Bachao Andolan, is on an indefinite fast since Thursday. A team of Congress legislators arrived at the site of fast on Friday to lend her support and take stock of the situation.
"She (Medha Patkar) sat on fast in Barwani on Thursday. Later, she sat on fast on the Narmada bank in Dhar district in Chikhalda village, where a large number of displaced people also gathered," Rahul, associated with 'Narmada Bachao' movement, told IANS.
The height of Sardar Sarovar Dam, on the Narmada river near Navagam in Gujarat, is being increased by 17 metres to 138.72 metres. The Supreme Court had ordered resettlement before July 31 of people of a town and 192 villages that fall in the submerged area.
"The Madhya Pradesh government has presented false figures and provided wrong information in the Supreme Court. The apex court's instructions are also not being followed," Patkar alleged.
"A major part of Madhya Pradesh would fall in the submerged area with the increase in dam's height. The government is planning resettlement in areas which are muddy, there is no facility available... how would people and livestock survive," she wondered.
The Narmada Bachao Andolan, in a statement, had alleged that the project was initially pushed "in the name of drought-affected people in Gujarat".
"It is obvious that it was being pushed in favour of the corporates and in the interest of electoral politics," it said.
--IANS
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