BHOPAL: Hundreds of Narmada Bachao activists including villagers from flood-affected areas laid siege to the Narmada Bhawan in Bhopal demanding immediate redressing of their grievances on Saturday.
NBA activists led by Medha Patkar and others had discussions with various authorities of Narmada rehabilitation programme but the talks failed as activists refused to agree on anything less than written orders for relief of the victims.
Media coordinator, Rahul Yadav said that the protestors will remain on dharna at Narmada Bhawan till Monday as officials said that orders related to relief could not be issued before Monday. Departments involved in issuing orders include law, finance and revenue among others.
“Narmada Control Authority (NCA) had submitted in Supreme Court in written that all rehabilitation has been completed,” said convener of Narmada Bachao Andolan, Medha Patkar.
NBA had protested in August but rolled back the agitation after government’s assurance. In September NBA started Jal Satyagrah but ended it after intervention of senior government officials.
Dam outsees from Alirajpur, Barwani, Dhar and Khargone gathered at Shahjahani Park in the morning and marched till the Narmada Bhawan. The protestors sat on road while their representatives held discussions with the officials.
Issue & demands: NBA activists demanded solutions from officials finalising the backwater level and acknowledging the exact number of villages facing submergence. They also sought full compensation for the farmers besides food for people and fodder for cattle. Even earlier, activists had met Narmada Valley Development Authority officials including ACS Gopal Reddy demanding appropriate rehabilitation of the villagers inundated by Sardar Sarowar dam water. State government had given permission to fill the Sardar Sarowar dam to its maximum height of 138.68 meters resulting in flooding of dozens of villages and displacing thousands of villagers. The authorities of the NVDA have disowned the responsibility of the food supplies by stating that the arrangement for the food was only until the October 31. Now hundreds of people are left helpless without food and fodder for the cattle.
