Bhopal, Apr 01: Narmada Bacaho Andolan leader Medha Patkar has lashed out at the Narmada Control Authority (NCA) for deceiving the 10,000 families of the state by not conveying them that they are going to be submerged with the completion of installation of gates of Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP). She charged that big dams constructed on Narmada Valley are all set to devastate the 2.5 lakhs people residing in near by areas and demanded a review regarding the burgeoning cost of the SSP by planning commission.
She charged that various government bodies boast of large rehabilitation programmes for the people displaced by the SSP and added that they are no where to be seen at ground level. Patkar informed that the NCA has directed the government for rehabilitating people displaced by the dam height up to maximum 138.6 mts while the dam would acuire the height of 138.6 mts once the gates are installed and 141.21 mts during floods. She questioned that correct backwater level should be available as the Narmada Tribunal Award required the state governments to have this computed, surveyed and marked on maps within 6 months of Tribunal Award in 1979.
Patkar charged that the rehabilitation, environmental and project benefit claims regarding the SSP are all proving wrong and added that Narmada Valley Development Corporation (NVDA) is showing crores as expenses and has been demanding the height to be raised from 122 mts mark. She claimed that the project was sanctioned with the rider that special project would be prepared for water born diseases according to the rules of Central Water Commission but o such project has been undertaken in the valley till now, she added and charged that tribal dominated areas are no accesses to medical facilities as being detached from the other main parts.
She also charged that no such action has been taken for water catchments area development as required by the Environmental Protection Act, 1956 in the valley. Patkar refuted the State Governments’ claim of putting in place double-Quadruple plantation as alternate forestation. She said that this negligence has resulted in most of the reservoirs filled with slit at present. She claimed that environmental compensation is also pathetic at Gujarat and Maharashtra. She informed of more than 800 fake land registries in SSP rehabilitation. NBA activists claimed that the planning commission sub committee has estimated the cost of SSP at some where around Rs 45,000 crores and stated that according to experts the cost might shot up to Rs 70,000 crores by the end of this project well beyond the11th five year plan. She also informed that they have urged the planning commission to initiate a review for this burgeoning cost.