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 and various form of struggles including imprisonment had disapproved the submergence of thousands of families on the basis of laws and the judgements of various including the apex court. The[Read More…]
New Delhi, September 22: The current model of development has a far wide acceptance by the political parties and executive, but has it been accepted by the Indian people, the vast majority which has silently suffered at its altar, questioned Hannan Mollah, former MP (CPIM) and Secretary, All India KisanSabha. He was speaking at a public meeting organized by Delhi[Read More…]
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 mired in controversy ever since its inception, 1961. For several years now the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) has been protesting against the release of water into the dam as it[Read More…]
Badwani, September 17 : We believe that the drama of dedication of the Sardar Sarovar Project to the Nation on Prime Minister’s Birthday was a complete failure. This was evident not only by the fact that except for Gujarat Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani, no one else turned up, as was announced that all BJP ruled CMs will participate. The grand[Read More…]
Badwani, Madhya Pradesh | September 15, 2017: The statement by the chief minister of Gujarat, Mr. Vijay Rupani on Narmada Dam inauguration, on the eve of the Grand Ceremony planned to celebrate PM’s birthday begins and ends with falsehood. All the lies as well as serious mistakes, certainly it doesn’t behove the chief minister of state that is to control,[Read More…]
Badwani, Madhya Pradesh | September 15, 2017: In an unprecedented turn of event, Madhya Pradesh Government coercive measures resulting drowning of more than 40000 families living in the submergence area of Sardar Sarovar Dam. Since yesterday, water level is continuously rising and now reached to 128.50 meters drowning Rajghat, Nisarpur and other villages. Water level is continuously rising after release[Read More…]
We are extremely thankful to you for your support during various mass actions, 17 days fast and confinement in the hospitals as well as Dhar and Badwani jails, all as a part of our ‘Satyagrah’ on the path of Ahimsa, esp. visiting Narmada Valley. Our various statements, letters, actions and reactions by our satyagrahis in the streets, inside the parliament,[Read More…]
Fasting, according to Mahatma Gandhi, is a tactic that should be used only when other avenues of redress have been explored and failed. In a struggle that has spanned over 30 years, Medha Patkar and her Save the Narmada movement (Narmada Bachao Andolan, NBA) certainly cannot be accused of not using every possible avenue to secure justice for some 60[Read More…]
Indore/Barwani | 23rd August, 2017: Medha Patkar gets bail from Indore High Court today after she was was denied bail from session court. Narmada Bachao Andolan hails it as a victory against the repressive Madhya Pradesh government which came down heavily on the peaceful protest against forceful eviction and illegal unjust submergence. Three other oustees, Vijay, Santu and Dhurji, who[Read More…]
Badwani, Madhya Pradesh | August 21, 2017: A letter writing campaign to Prime Minister was undertaken in numerous villages of Narmada Valley demanding withdrawal of all criminal cases and unconditional release of Medha Patkar, Santu, Vijay, and Dhurji, NBA activists lodged in jail since August 9th. They gave detailed picture of the incomplete and unjust rehabilitation work and asked, “will[Read More…]
I, along with four others, reached Bombay Hospital, Indore on August 8 to meet Medha Patkar who was forcefully hospitalised on the 12th day of her indefinite fast by the Madhya Pradesh Police. Medha Patkar was fasting to protest against the illegal submergence of 192 villages and one township in Madhya Pradesh by the backwaters of the Sardar Sarovar Dam.[Read More…]
On the eve of India’s 70th Independence Day, the longest and most recognised people’s movement in independent India is on dock, despite it being non-violent, worked relentlessly for the tribals and farmers who are affected by the mighty Sardar Sarovar (Narmada) dam, consistently raised issues of displacement and rehabilitation, and helped country ponder over a question which sums up the[Read More…]
As Medha Patkar and other Narmada Bachao Andolan activists continue their peaceful and non-violent protest by going on an indefinite fast, for just rehabilitation (as mandated by the Supreme Court of India), to be provided to the 40,000 families affected by the closing of sluice gates of the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) dam, the state administration has replied by[Read More…]
Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar was arrested again after being released from hospital. She is on the 14th day of her fast. Today after discharged from hospital in the afternoon, Medha Patkar started at 4 PM from Indore after meeting her supporters and resting a little. As their vehicle was moving towards Barwani, her vehicle was intercepted by nearly[Read More…]
I urge the government of India to immediately end the shocking forceful evictions of 40,000 families in Narmada Valley….
New Delhi | August 08, 2017 : Today people across the country protested against the high handed action of MP Police of the Dhar and Badwani administration which used excessive force leaving 48 people injured, some of them were admitted to ICU in Badwani. In Delhi, more than 50 protestors marched to the MP Bhavan and submitted the memorandum demanding[Read More…]
The Game of Dice of the Mahabharata epic is being enacted on the banks of Narmada river. The actors are Government of Madhya Pradesh (GoMP) as Dushasana; Government of India (GoI) as Duryodhana; the Narmada river represented by the people who are being forcibly evicted for protesting and demanding their rightful due, as Draupadi being disrobed; the Legislative and[Read More…]
New Delhi | August 07, 2017 : In response to Indefinite fast led by 11 Sardar Sarovar Dam affected people and Medha Patkar in Chikhalda, Dhar District, Madhya Pradesh, India, Govt of Madhya Pradesh send police forces in thousands and attacked the peaceful meeting going on there around 6 PM Today. There was no attempt to talk to the protesters[Read More…]
Barwani, Madhya Pradesh | August 4, 2017: On the 9th day of indefinite fast in Narmada Valley, Medha Patkar and 11 others are still continuing their indefinite fast in Chikhalda against the illegal and unjust submergence and forced evictions without complete and just rehabilitation of more than 40000 families affected by Sardar Sarovar Dam in Narmada Valley. In Delhi, at[Read More…]
New Delhi, July 30, 2017: Eminent American linguist, social critic, and political activist, Noam Chomsky extended his support to the project affected people of the Narmada Valley when the indefinite fast and dharna of 100s people are underway in Narmada valley. Signing the petition started by former IIM Kolkata professor and environmentalist Jayanta Bandopadhyay, Chomsky joins 100s of other people[Read More…]
Badwani, Madhya Pradesh. 29, July 2017: Today is the third day of indefinite fast in the Narmada Valley. Hundreds of the villagers today entered the Narmada waters and observed jal satyagraha. They challenged the government’s plan to force death upon 40,000 families by closing gates of Sardar Sarovar Dam without any complete rehabilitation in the Narmada Valley. Shyama Behn, Bhagirath[Read More…]
New Delhi, 29 July 2017: The situation at one of the oldest sites of human civilizations – the Narmada valley of Madhya Pradesh is today worse than a battlefield where the humble, hard working farmers, fisher folk, potters and labourers are struggling day in and day out to simply survive against the onslaught of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in the[Read More…]
The shocking statement by the chief minister of Gujarat has sent waves across the Narmada Valley. The level of falsehood involved in the decision taken by NCA on the closure of Sardar Sarovar gates is unprecedented. It is as per news, the decision taken by all the states concerned that since the Resettlement and Rehabilitation of the Project Affected Families[Read More…]
Badwani | June 09, 2017: The statement issued and published today by the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mr. Nitin Patel, followed the totally undemocratic and unexpected arrest and attack on the children participating in the peaceful rally of Sardar Sarovar oustees with supporters from across the country, on the border of MP and Gujrat (on 7th June 2017). One[Read More…]
Gujarat | June 07, 2017: Around 2 PM, Gujarat Police arrested well known social activist Medha Patkar, noted Goldman Environmental Prize 2017 winner Prafulla Samantara, Dr. Sunilam, Aradhna Bhargava, Madhuresh Kumar, Himshi Singh, supporters from Gujarat and approximately 60 more people at Gujarat Border in Chhota Udaipur district. People of Narmada Valley are not going to succumb to any Govt.[Read More…]
Nisarpur, Madhya Pradesh | June 06, 2017: Thousands of Sardar Sarovar dam oustees gathered today for ‘Aam Sabha’ (general assembly) in the submergence zone village of Nisarpur as part of the 3-day Rally for the Valley that kicked off from Indore yesterday. Hundreds of students, activists, artists from all over India and affected-people from other destructive developments projects joined hands[Read More…]
At least 40,000 policemen and women, if needed the army, is on alert and will be pulled in for forcible eviction of thousands of families whose list is announced through the extraordinary gazette notification issued by the Government of M.P., dated 27.05.2017, which is in the public domain, listing the names of 18,346 families. Various government officials are continuously moving[Read More…]
Barwani, Madhya Pradesh: 25 May 2017:: The people displaced due to Sardar Sarovar Dam, including farmers, laborers, potters etc. held a rally with bullock carts filling the streets of Badwani. Starting the rally from Krishi Mandi, with farmer and fish-workers men and women sitting on the bullock carts, they reached the pillar of martyrdom, where they paid homage to the[Read More…]
After almost 32 years of struggle, lakhs of people in the Narmada valley to be affected by Sardar Sarovar, are being threatened of brutal eviction. The government of M.P has begun sending its emissaries to convey to the farmers, labourers and all inhabitants of the valley that they will have to move out of their homes and hearths, their farms[Read More…]
In the current context of planned closure of the SSP dam sluice gates (understood as planned for 09 May 2017 by NCA), about 40,000 PAFs (2,00,000 people) in Madhya Pradesh alone, along with their villages and one township, will be drowned. Their forcible evacuation by police action is being planned and is imminent. Such action will bring utter shame on our Republic.
31st January 2017: The Chief Justice of India, Justice -Jagdish Singh Khehar, Justice- Chandrachud & Justice – Ramanna, head the petition related to Sardar Sarovar Affected people from 3 states: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra & Gujarat, in petition by Narmada BachaoAndolan (NBA). The honorable Court heard Adv. Sanjay Parikh joined by MedhaPatkar for NBA & Adv. Patwalia. The CFJ & other Justices[Read More…]
Jantar Mantar. 20 August, 2016: Hundreds of Narmada supporters came together for an evening filled with songs, slogans and speeches today. As Narmada Bachao Andolan marked its 31st year of resistance against illegal displacement on 16 August, a series of protests and demonstrations are being held across the nation. Today’s demonstration was kicked off with a fiery speech by Vimal[Read More…]
Supporters from Mumbai express solidarity with the movement which continues to fight for justice reaching to ALL – especially to the most deprived amongst the citizens of our country Mumbai | 16th August, 2016: The Narmada Bachao Andolan movement which started 31 full years ago in India, led to a discourse and push for an alternate, least destructive development model[Read More…]
Narmada water is rising in feet and meters as the gates of the upstream dams are opened up, thousands of cusecs of water are reaching the most downstream of the dams, Sardar Sarovar, filling the reservoir, partly formed. At Rajghat, when Satyagrahis are sitting in batches, teams from 4 villages from 4 tehsils every day, water level is rising. Samarpit[Read More…]
I have again very recently (29, 30 & 31 July 2016) travelled in the Narmada Valley to meet PAFs in the submergence villages after the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) dam has been raised to its finished height of 138.68-m, with installation of the sluice gates. The on-going monsoon has already raised the water level upstream of the SSP dam and when it rises further as it surely will, it will submerge many villages and habitations, drowning 45,000 PAFs (2,25,000 people). The situation for these PAFs is therefore grim and very serious.
Badwani: Every time it rains in the Nimad plains of Narmada basin, the terror of an impending doom stirs in the heart of every Narmada Jal – Jangal – Jameen satyagrahi sitting on an indefinite demonstration since the 29th of July of this year in Rajghat of district Badwani in Madhya Pradesh. It is the third consecutive year since the[Read More…]
31 years ago people living along the vicinity of River Narmada rose up against a government decision to convert the pristine river into a series of dams and reservoirs which would submerge their lands. In these 31 years much is gained and a lot lost but nothing is forgotten. Narmada Bachao Andolan till this date remains the largest people’s mobilization around environment that this country has ever seen
Narmada Jal, Jangal, Jameen Haq Satyagrah starts on the morning of 30th July, 2016 on the banks of Narmada alongside the Mahatma and Kasturba Gandhi Memorial in Badwani district of MP with thousands of displaced people coming together in a peaceful protest against gross injustice meted out to them in the name of rehabilitation for construction of the Sardar Sarovar[Read More…]
Narmada | 20th July, 2016: The agitation by the Sardar Sarovar Project oustees in Gujarat has entered the 6th day. Hundreds of adivasis from various resettlement sites as well as farmers and other oustees from Nimar of Madhya Pradesh who have shifted to Gujarat are sitting before the Resettlement Office in Keodia Colony. Not less than 50 women from affected[Read More…]
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[Read More…]
Today, and very urgently even as I write, for all the foregoing reasons, with the monsoon about to break, the people of the Narmada River valley are in imminent danger of being flooded out of their homes and lands or drowned, due to the rising waters in the reservoirs behind the hundreds of small, medium and large dams, which have been constructed on Narmada river and its tributaries over the years. In particular, the SSP dam at its finished height of 138.68-metres with the sluice gates installed, threatens the lives of around 40,000 PAFs in Madhya Pradesh. Clearly, there is a disaster-in-the-making; India urgently needs to do something now.
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This article is based on the 25th Chandrashekar Memorial Lecture delivered on 20 September 2020. The original lecture was delivered in Hindi and the event was organized by Punashcha, the Indian People’s Theater Association (IPTA) and Koshish. Friends, comrades gathered here; I am very honoured to be invited to deliver the Chandrashekhar Memorial Lecture this year but I cannot say[Read More…]
