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DAM-L LS: Maharashtra Appoints Committees to Review SSP (fwd)



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Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 11:48:14 -0800 (PST)
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subject: LS: Maharashtra Appoints Committees to Review SSP
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Narmada Bachao Andolan
B - 13, Shivam Flats, Ellora Park, Baroda

Press note  4.1.2001.

Government of Maharashtra appoints independent committees to review 
Sardar Sarovar Project

The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri.Vilasrao Deshmukh has agreed 
to constitute an independent committee (Satyashodan Samiti) to look 
into the Government claims and ground reality of the rehabilitation 
of Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) oustees and a Review Committee 
(Samiksha Samuha) to look into the costs-benefits of the projects. 
This was given to a delegation met him today at Mantralaya.

The 30 member delegation consisted of Medha Patkar, Vestabhai, Keshuv 
Vasave, Gita Vasave, Noorji Padvi, Vesta Pavra, Harilal Pavra, Ranya 
Daya and others of Narmada Bachao Andolan and Bopshetty, Anil Ghag, 
Vidya Patil, Anita Patil, Kashinath Kulkarni, Barrister Palav, Bhau 
Buskute, Lata P.M., N.D.Kohli etc.  as independent observers. The 
delegation met the chief minister Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh where the 
Deputy Chief Minister Shri Chhagan Bhujpal, Minister of Rural 
Development Shri R.R.Patil, Minister of Rehabilitation Shri Vilasrao 
Patil and Employment Guarantee Minister Shri Ganpathrao Deshmukh were 
also present.

The ‘Review Committee’ will assess the environmental and social costs 
besides the economics of the Sardar Sarovar project. In this context 
the committee will look into the magnitude and cost of power that 
Maharashtra is entitled to from this project. Further, and most 
importantly, the committee will assess the justifiability of this 
project by weighing the benefits and costs of this project. The 
committee will consist of representatives of the Government and 
Narmada Bachao Andolan besides few experts.

The Satyashodan Committee would be a fact-finding group looking into 
the details of displacement and rehabilitation of the people affected 
by the project. It will assess the compliance or otherwise with the 
Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal Award and the State R&R policy and 
give its opinion on the status and implementability of 
rehabilitation. The group will look into the availability of 
agricultural land for rehabilitation.

Both the committees that would have recommendatory status would 
submit their reports by the end of February. The Government of 
Maharashtra, the Chief Minister and other ministers present including 
the Deputy Chief Minister responded positively to NBA’s plea that the 
State Government should not approve any construction beyond 90 metres 
till the reports of the two committees are taken into consideration. 
In any case it has been proven by latest reports of various concerned 
authorities including the R&R Sub-group, Narmada Control Authority 
and the Field Visit reports that the rehabilitation of the affected 
families is far from complete. Even the Master Plan for the 
rehabilitation of thousands of affected families is not yet ready. 
This is not just a violation of the Award but also of the Supreme 
Court order! The Andolan continues to hold its position on Sardar 
Sarovar that it is one of the big dams wherein social and 
environmental costs are neglected and the economics is always proven 
bad with the realized benefits being much less than planned. NBA will 
present and prove its stand through detailed submissions and 
statistics before these groups and expects the Government of 
Maharashtra, atleast at this stage, to take a pro-people stance in 
the case of Sardar Sarovar.

In the morning the PAFs gheraoed the Grievance Redressal Authority 
office and had a face to face confrontation with the chairperson Jst. 
S.P. Kurdukar regarding the status of rehabilitation. He 
categorically stated his position that the rehabilitation of PAFs 
affected at 90 metres is still not complete and the agricultural land 
required for the same is yet to be identified by the State 
Government.  

It may be recalled that over 100 representatives from the tribal 
villages of the Narmada Valley were on a dharna in Mumbai since 2nd 
January 2001, demanding the Government of Maharashtra to take serious 
cognizance of the ground reality regarding enormous magnitude of 
displacement and failure in rehabilitation in Sardar Sarovar Project. 
People’s demand for appointment of an independent committees to 
assess the situation were agreed by the Chief Minister. People 
returned to the valley with renewed resolve to fight to save the 
Narmada Valley and life itself!

Clifton Rozario

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