Proceeding with caution

NOW THAT THE Supreme Court has finally cleared the Sardar Sarovar dam Project (SSP) on the Narmada, both sides must accept the verdict of the apex court and get on with the work with caution and sensitivity. It should not be considered a victory for any side, but merely a legal clearance for a much-delayed mega project, which is also touted as the `Lifeline of Gujarat'. While the Centre and the three State Governments - of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra - should carefully plan for the full execution of the SSP in its entirety, the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) must now shift its focus to monitoring the implementation of the environmental and rehabilitation aspects of the project. For six years, the NBA and other anti-big dam NGOs have taken to the streets and courts, questioning the viability of the dam and highlighting its impact both on the environment and on the lives of the oustees (displaced). The World Bank had come under fire for funding the project and subsequently pulled out. All that must now be put aside and the States must work in close cooperation with the Authority, monitoring committees and the NGOs, to ensure that the rehabilitation measures satisfy the people who are being displaced from their villages and livelihood.

Time and again, the viability of the SSP has been debated. Apart from the 1450 MW power that it will generate, the mega dam promises to bring relief to some of the drought-prone areas of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and more so Gujarat. Though estimated to cost Rs. 18,000 crores it could end up costing much more because of the time lag and the escalation factor. The Gujarat Government, while hailing the judgment, has promised to complete the dam and the canal constructions in two years. Without wasting more time and adding to the costs, the three States must coordinate their efforts to avoid further delays and raise the resources to complete the SSP within the next two to three years. The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. Digvijay Singh, has voiced doubts about the prospects for early resettlement. Since the project has been on the table for a long time, there can be no excuses for not finding suitable, alternative sites for resettling and compensating the displaced families satisfactorily. The NGOs in the project areas must work with the monitoring committees to ensure that the resettlers get the best bargain possible and are able to restart their lives with some hope.

For the NBA, the verdict may be a setback, even a disappointment. Instead of losing heart or now insisting on launching another `andolan' against the project, it must now shift its attention to the resettlement package. The Supreme Court has not granted an `unconditional, unfettered' ruling in favour of the dam builders. The majority decision has insisted on a step-by-step environmental clearance for raising the dam level beyond 90 metres to the full 138m height. The judges have also called for full compliance with the Tribunal's award, resettlement requirements, directing the Grievance Redressal Authority and the Narmada Control Authority to not only monitor the project but also submit a plan for rehabilitation and relief within four weeks. It may be difficult for the NBA activists to accept the big-dam reality, but they must heed the apex court's ruling, give up their agitation and concentrate on the environmental and rehabilitation aspects of the SSP. They need to turn their sensitivity and considerable organising and mobilising skills to the task of ensuring that the Government agencies play fair by the displaced persons. Madhya Pradesh has some way to go on both construction of the Maheshwar and Indira Sagar hydroelectric projects and on finalising its resettlement programme. The project which had over the years become a major focal point for the international environment movement will ultimately be judged not on its legality or economic viability but by the care and sensitivity with which the issues of environment and rehabilitation are addressed.

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Section  : Opinion
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