Narmada Project Affected Adivasis On Hunger Strike

sardar-sarovar

Kevadia/Vadodara | 16th July, 2016: Hundreds of adivasis affected by the Sardar Sarovar Project have begun their Dharna (sit in) and relay fast from yesterday, the 15th of July. They have been demanding full and fair rehabilitation which they haven’t yet got despite being displaced in the late 1980’s and 1990’s.These adivasis who sustained their livelihood on the land, forests and water (as well as fish)were forced to leave their access tothese natural resources and shift to the resettlement sites; where they have found it difficult to fit into the cash driven market economy.

While the R&R policy no doubt offered 5 acres land to each oustee family, including the major sons of the landholder; irrigation and the canal network were not provided in most of these lands with little or no priority to these affected adivasis.

The adivasis are also upset because they were promised ‘Rozgaar’(jobs)in an official memorandum issued in the 1990s. However, this promise was not kept either and the decision was not implemented. Since the cut-off date in Gujarat for identifying Major Sons was 1987, many married sons of the landholders have become landless and there is no forest produce or government land to support them at the new R&R sites.

The youngsters from resettlement site like Karnet and Barouli have resorted to agitation with no response. Once, women jumped into the canal and faced litigation form the government rather than getting a reply for their demands! It is evident that many families received less than 5 acres of land and that an indifferent attitude of the government prevails as construction works of amenities like drainage systems are left incomplete in most R&R sites!

The government has fueled the unhappiness among the people by recently releasing a list of about 1000 families whose lands have been declared to be taken back despite being to them 15-20 years back!

Moreover, the government of Gujarat has been submitting one affidavit after another claiming that all the affected adivasis are rehabilitated and rehabilitation in the state is one of the best across the country. The fact is that this is a campaign of falsehood which must be as nothing but cheating on the part of the government led by Mr. Modi for the past last decade at least.

The Adivasis are now not ready to face further injustice!!

While the construction of the dam is completed and the gates are wait to be erected, the people actively resist the motives of the government and have already conveyed the same to the officials including the Secretary and the Commissioner who came to the agitation site yesterday and held a dialogue. The people are determined to stay put have begun a relay fast today with 85 of them sitting on the fast and hundreds of others continuing the agitation with them.

This showcases the ‘Gujarat model of development’ which is callous and insensitive to these oustees!

All the concerned citizens also know that there are more than 40000 families in the project affected region of Madhya Pradeshwho are yet to be rehabilitated and yet the Madhya Pradesh government is scheming towards closing the gates which would undoubtedly result in a watery grave

The Gujarat government and the Narmada Control Authority (NCA) must respond to all the people and their demands and not commit a crime by closing the gates and heaping further injustice on them.

Jiku bhai Tadvi       

 Ratan Vasave             

Ashwin VS     

Rahul Yadav          

Medha Patkar

Contact: 9423965153 

 

 

Support Countercurrents

Countercurrents is answerable only to our readers. Support honest journalism because we have no PLANET B.
Become a Patron at Patreon

Join Our Newsletter

GET COUNTERCURRENTS DAILY NEWSLETTER STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX

Join our WhatsApp and Telegram Channels

Get CounterCurrents updates on our WhatsApp and Telegram Channels

Related Posts

Book Review: People’s Tales From Narmada Valley

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NARMADA GHATI SE BAHUJAN GATHAYEN Editors: Ojas S. V., Madhuresh Kumar, Vijayan M. J. and, Joe Athiyali Translation: Chinmay Mishra New Delhi, April 2022, Navarun, Pp. 247, Price Rs.…

The Call of Narmada Valley

  You may remember about how the judgment given by Hon’ble Supreme Court on 8th February 2017 had first created panic and later the outcry in the Narmada Valley. Satyagraha, Fast…

A Country Of Small Sacrifices

Yeh dharti hai balidaan ki. This land is of sacrifice. Yesterday PM Narendra Modi unveiled the second largest dam in the world- the Sardar Sarovar dam. This construction has been…

Join Our Newsletter


Annual Subscription

Join Countercurrents Annual Fund Raising Campaign and help us

Latest News