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dam-l LS: Public Hearing by NCW at Mandleshwar, 15 March
PUBLIC HEARING BY NATIONAL COMMISSION OF WOMEN ON 15TH MARCH AT MANDLESHWAR
REGARDING ONGOING STRUGGLE AGINST THE MAHESHWAR PROJECT
Dear Friend,
You are aware that the women and men of the Narmada Bachao Andolan have
been waging a courageous and unrelenting struggle against the Maheshwar
Hydel Power Project, and its private promoters, the S.Kumars, for the last
3 years. The women of this area have been at the forefront of this
struggle, facing brutal police repression on many occasions and providing
the immense strength needed to continue with resistance.
This struggle against the Maheshwar Project is being waged against the
enormous physical, economic, and cultural displacements that this dam will
cause, as well as against the privatisation of the energy sector which will
put electricity beyond the reach of the poorer sections of society. Since
displacement strikes at women's ability to maintain livelihoods and social
networks of support, the struggle against the Maheshwar Project has
enormous significance for the women who will be affected. You know that
the Maheshwar region is not very different from the rest of India in that
patriarchal norms govern the lives of women here. Despite this, very large
numbers of women have been active participants in the movement. In the
women's words, women have left their domestic hearths in order to let their
voices be heard in the public arena. The women have also have formed
another forum called the Narmada Shakti Dal which provides them with a
space within which their particular issues can be raised.
Presently, the struggle against the Maheshwar Project in the Narmada valley
has reached a most crucial juncture. From 24th February, hundreds of
project-affected people are on satyagraha near the dam site. The continuous
the indefinite struggle launched on 11th January when the affected people
had captured the dam site demanding information from the government
regarding the Project. So far no satisfactory response has been
forthcoming from the government. If this continues, the ongoing satyagraha
will become an indefinite fast.
The people of the Maheshwar struggle have been raising serious issues
related to their lives and livelihoods and, instead of answers, all they
have received from the administration is repression on the one hand and
constant attempts to trivialize the entire movement on the other. The
private promoters, S.Kumars have tried to use and abuse certain sections of
the local press in order to run a campaign of falsehood and slander and
negate the significance of questions raised by the affected people.
In May 1998, the National Commission of Women gave an extremely critical
report about police brutality against women in the Maheshwar area. It was
at their initiative that the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh was compelled
to visit the area and meet with the NBA. Subsequently, on several
occasions, the NCW has responded to women's petitions and taken up the
matter with the state government.
So far, the government has not been able to come up with satisfactory
answers related to the provision of cultivable land for rehabilitation and
the cost of electricity produced by the Project. The S.Kumars and the
Madhya Pradesh government have not been able to show the availability of
any cultivable land nor are they willing to tell the people who will be
able to purchase the very expensive electricity that the Project will
produce. Experts estimate that the peaking power cost of electricity
produced by the project will be around Rs.10/-! Yet, work on the dam
continues. Having no answers, the government and S.Kumars are merely
seeking to dispense with the interests of the affected people through cash
compensation. The women have vigorously resisted this knowing that it will
lead to certain pauperization. The people have resolved to continue
struggling till the Project is scrapped.
The women of the Maheshwar area have invited the National Commission of
Women to hold a hearing in the area, and the Commission has accepted the
invitation. The people's hearing on issues regarding the Maheshwar Project
will be held by the NCW in Mandleshwar on the 15th of March, at 10.00 a.m.
where affected people will raise questions and demands, and share
experiences. We hope that the state government and other responsible
officials will respond to people's questions regarding the displacement and
rehabilitation as well as the public utility of the Project. Several
thousands of affected women will be present at the hearing as well as
members of a number of women's organizations who have supported the
Maheshwar struggle.
We are hoping that members of your organization will be able to participate
in this public hearing. Your presence at the hearing will provide valuable
support to our struggle and also allow us to share in the experiences of
your organization.
Since the hearing will begin at 10.00 am on the 15th of March, it may be
convenient to reach Mandleshwar by the 14th evening. We look forward to
your presence at the hearing.
In Solidarity,
Chittaroopa Palit Urmila Patidar Sushilabai
NBA Village Pathrad
Village Mardana.
If you are planning to attend the hearing do try and arrive in Mandlshwar
by the 14th of March. To come to Mandleshwar, the nearest railheads are
Indore [2.5 hours away by bus] and Khandwa [4 hours]. The Narmada Bachao
Andolan office in Mandleshwar is right opposite the bus stand. The phone
number there is (07283) 33162. If you are coming from Bombay, come by bus
to Dhamnod on the Indore route, from there Mandleshwar is a mere 20 kms by
bus.
Please do confirm you coming so that we can make the necessary
arrangements. Call us at any of our offices at 07283-33162 (Mandleshwar),
or 07290-22462 (Badwani) or 0265-382232 (Baroda) or email us at
nobigdam@bom4.vsnl.net.in or nba@lwbdq.lwbbs.net.