Subject: Govt. of India to counter anti Dam "Propaganda" at Hague.
Source: Hindustan Times, March 10, 2000

Govt to counter anti-dam propaganda
                 Hemendra Singh Bartwal (New Delhi, March 9)

                 CONCERNED AT the adverse international publicity it has

attracted on the issue of Sardar Sarovar
                 Project (SSP), the Government is now planning to go on
the offensive to counter the anti-dam
                 activists? ?propaganda? at world fora and highlight its

own stand on the matter.

                 Accordingly, a high-profile delegation of the Indian
Government, led by Water Resources Minister C P
                 Thakur himself, will head for The Hague in the
Netherlands next week where it will put up a strong
                 defence of its position at the prestigious World Water
Forum meet. Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA)
                 leader Medha Patkar is slated to present the anti-dam
viewpoint.

                 ?We are going to fight it out. Point by point, we will
reply to the objections raised by Ms Patkar and her
                 supporters against the SSP and explain to the world
where
they are wrong in their perceptions. The
                 Minister has decided to take an aggressive stand as he
feels that this Ministry has so far never been
                 able to convey the actual position on the dam issue to
the people at large,? said a senior official of the
                 Water Resources Ministry.

                 Several top officials of the Ministry will be
accompanying Mr Thakur to the meet and the team has made
                 elaborate preparations to present a strong case in
support of the project which has been long delayed
                 due to staunch opposition from the NBA and other
environmental activists.

                 Such is the significance being attached to the event
that
a separate official delegation is being sent to it
                 by the Government of Gujarat, where the Sardar Sarovar
dam is located. This will be headed by state
                 Irrigation Minister Jainarain Vyas.

                 The government delegations will strive to clear
?misconcepts? and wrong notions about the project. It
                 will emphasise before the gathering of international
experts the fact that beside the developmental
                 benefits accruing from it by way of irrigation and
power
generation , its early completion was also vital
                 for supply of drinking water to drought-hit areas of
Rajasthan and Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat.

                 During the four-day deliberations at the meet which
begins from March 16, presentations will be made
                 by eminent experts, environmentalists, non-governmental

organisations (NGOs) and officials from
                 various countries on different issues related to water
resources management, including its social and
                 environmental impact.

                 Their recommendations will be further discussed at a
high-level inter-ministerial meet on March 21 and
                 22, an official said. During this, Dr Thakur will raise

the SSP dam issue and its ramifications.

                 Among the prominent members of the Indian delegation
will
be Minister of State for Water Resources
                 Bijoya Chakravarty, Water Resources Secretary Z. Hasan
and the chairman of the National Water
                 Development Authority P. Lau.

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