Wednesday, September 5, 2012

THE OMKARESHWAR DAM ISSUE ENTERS A FORTNIGHT


Whither Medha Patkar? Whither Arundhati Roy? Whither the Social activists of national eminence? Medha Patkar , the founder of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), Arundhati Roy and the prominent social activists who were in the forefront to lead an agitation which lasted for months, if not years, over the Sardar Sarovar Dam issue, against the govt and bureaucracy to stop forthwith the building of a mega dam on the Narmada river years ago, all of them seem to have melted into thin year. Though their determined fight proved infructous due to the Supreme Court Judgement, they could inspire the farmers and their families to take up cudgels against the govt. Due to the construction of the mega dam, people in the vicinity, most of them agriculturists were forced to evacuate their lands and as a result they languished due to the displacement forcing them flee to the urban areas, leaving their age-old profession of agriculture. Though the govt before starting to construct a mega dam had promised rehabilitation, the hapless ones had to satisfy with the meager amounts distributed by the govt. Those who struggled for years under the spirited, determined leadership of a never-say-die Medha Patkar, Arundhati Roy and a number of eminent social activists, the leaders who were on the vanguard in spite of tireless efforts to bring the govt to its knees couldn’t succeed. The Supreme Court verdict reportedly went against the farmers in the vicinity of Narmada which justified the movement of govt to construct the mega dam which left the agitationists high and dry. The whereabouts of the poor who were displaced without providing rehabilitation facilities and adequate compensation are unknown to an average citizen like me.
Now that a powerful but a non-violent struggle is going on in Madhya Pradesh with the reported decision of Shivraj Singh Chauhan govt to raise the level of the dam from 189 ft to 193ft which decision threatened the farmers around the area with displacement. More over a number of villages are facing submergence. The decision to raise the level of Omkareshwar Dam and Indira Sagar Dam forced the inhabitants in the area to undertake ‘Jal Satyagraha’ ignoring the threats to their life. For over a week and more these farmers are spending their days, by standing in neck-deep water to compel the State govt to backtrack from its attempt of raising the water level. With the threat of water level rising which hangs over them like the proverbial sword of Democles, the govt have found itself in a quandary. The Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission’s direction to the govt not to raise the water level which could prove fatal to the farmers undertaking ‘Jal Satyagraha’ has forced the govt to obey the order of the Commission. The govt have given assurance to the commission and other activists that it will not do anything which is likely to cause the drowning of those undertaking Satyagraha.
The farmers demand for rehabilitation and deserving compensation has not been met by the govt so far. Until their demands are met they are bent upon continuing the ‘Jal Satyagraha’ indefinitely.
This time political leaders especially the Leftists are in the forefront to demand the govt to find an immediate and amicable solution to the serious problems to the satisfaction of the farmers around the area. Brinda Karat CPI(M) Polit-Buro member and the champion of the downtrodden is already seized of the burning issue and has demanded the govt to do the needful without delay. The Shivraj Singh Chauhan govt has come under scathing attack by Brinda Karat for not taking adequate measures to chalk out a solution to end the impasse once and for all. Her statement that before taking a decision to raise the dam level from 189ft to 193 ft the most important step govt should have taken was to provide the farmers who depend on agriculture since generations with proper resettlement and other reliefs which the govt have so far cared not to implement. It is beyond our imagination the fate of the farmers if they are not properly rehabilitated and rendered homeless by the govt.
Omkareshwar Dam is one of the biggest dams built on Narmada which could produce 520 Mhz of power. At a time even developed countries have stopped constructing mega dams, a developing country like India continues to build such dams the consequences of which will be unpredictable.
CPI National Secretary D Raja has also demanded the govt to desist from the plan of raising level of the dam.
It is time political leaders as well as social activists come to the forefront and take up the issue and force the govt not to proceed along the path which could prove a disaster. Only a united, determined and spirited struggle could help the struggling farmers of not only Madhya Pradesh but farmers of India as a whole.

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