08. Aug: Narmada Update

NBA Satyagraha Update - August 8, 2003

Relay Fast enters fourth day - Official record checking begins - 'Shaheed
Diwas' (Martyrs Day) to be observed on 9 August.

Satyagraha 2003 has entered the fourth day today as affected people are
sitting on relay fast, both in Nimgavan (Akrani tahsil) and Chimalkhedi
(Akkalkua tahsil). Every day two people sit on fast, in both places,
demanding the written Government Resolution (GR) on Rehabilitation plan and
action, of all those who are affected (more than 1500 families) at 100
meters.
In Nimgavan, Giridhar Pavra, Geeta Chauhan, Nirmal Kanera, Lotan Pavra,
Bolya Daya, Boljia Kaka etc have so far sat on fast while in Chimalkhedi,
Bijya Juglia, Savita Vasave, Noorji Vasave etc sat with great hope and
determination to shake the moral conscience of the 'irresponsible'
authorities. The first submergence saw water entering 28 houses in Nimgavan
while in Chimalkhedi people had to face not only forced submergence, but
also State repression in the form of police misbehavior, violence, arrests
and harassment.
The Jeevanashala (school of life) in Nimgavan just escaped the first
flooding by a whisker, so too other three Jeevanashalas (out of a total of
12) but the coming floods can be devastating as the monsoon will gain
strength in the upstream regions.
Meanwhile, the Collector of Nandurbar had come with a team of government
officials from three departments, to make the final assessment of the
actual number of people affected in the submergence villages, beginning
from Nimgavan. Yesterday they completed the record checking in Nimgavan and
today it will be done in Chimalkhedi, in special Grama Sabha Meetings. This
may lead to the fulfillment of a long-standing demand of the NBA for the
official and actual acceptance of the Joint Task Force Report published in
2002 (and kept in the dark for almost a year). This will lead to the
official acceptance of not only the declared families, but also all those
undeclared PAFs including Major sons as having right to rehabilitation.
All these realities vindicate the fact that under 100 meters of the dam,
hundreds of families still live in the family, due to lack of just
rehabilitation. Our claim will soon be vindicated once the official
checking of records is completed.
In Madhya Pradesh, there are 12000 PAFs deserving rehabilitation at 100
meters. The government considers only those families who are fully affected
i.e. loosing more than 25% of their land as deserving land-based
rehabilitation (about 4000 PAFs), which is a total violation of the NWDTA
and the Supreme Court order. They exclude all those who have been given
ex-parte allotment i.e. without the consent of the PAFs, the Major sons and
all those who are not in the government records (but actually living in the
valley for generations). They also exclude the temporarily affected,
claiming that they need not be resettled in a hurry. There is no
consideration to give compensation for the illegal damage to houses and
destruction of standing crops that had been going on and continuing in this
monsoon flood also.
Any way, during the meeting with the eminent persons and the NBA
representatives, the M.P. government had agreed to dynamically involve the
Grama Sabhas in the actual assessment of the number of PAFs as well as to
check the lands available for rehabilitation. People are waiting for a
government order towards this, which is promised within a month.
The people demand nothing less than total compliance with the NWDT Award
and the Supreme Court order. If the governments do not respond in the
agreed upon lines in a swift manner before the next floods, whenever it may
be, the Satyagraha will be intensified.
Tomorrow, 9 August, 03, Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs Day) to commemorate the
Adivasi freedom fighters including Khajya Naik, Bhima Naik, Jantya Bhil,
Rehma Vasave, will be observed.
On 12th, Raksha Bandhan will be observed with an appeal to save the life
and livelihood of all who experience betrayal at the hands of their fellow
human beings.
On 14th August, a mass gathering will be in Bilgaon, the site of the 15
Kilo watt micro-hydel project, with many guests and supporters
participating in overnight drum beats and cultural celebrations,
anticipating a regeneration of our Nation, from the present decay and
chaos. The National flag will be hoisted at 12 midnight.
On 15th, the Independence Day celebrations will be held in Nimgavan
Jeevanashala.
We earnestly appeal to you, supporters and sympathizers from all walks of
life, to come to the valley, to share our sorrow, our hope, our aspirations
at this time of great turmoil. Enable our struggle through articles, press
statements, local meetings, fund raising and most important, to encourage
more people to come and join us in this struggle for life and livelihood.


Noorji Vasave Bolya Daya Medha Patkar