NEW DELHI: Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar on Tuesday refused to break her indefinite fast despite Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz's assurance that a team of Union Ministers would visit Madhya Pradesh in the next two days to assess the resettlement and rehabilitation of families displaced by the Narmada Dam.

Ms. Patkar, however, took a few sips of lime juice later on the intervention of the former Prime Minister, V.P. Singh, the former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Rajinder Sachchar, and senior journalist Kuldip Nayar.

On the seventh day of her hunger strike, Ms. Patkar's health showed signs of deterioration. Asked how she was feeling, she feebly said: "Not good."

Mr. Soz visited Ms. Patkar twice and urged her to call off her fast. The second time, he read out a statement declaring the Government's intent and the Prime Minister's concern over rehabilitation. The statement was, however, silent on the NBA demand to halt the construction of the dam.

Ms. Patkar declared that she would not end her fast till Mr. Soz returned from the dam site and made his report public.

Mr. Soz said he would visit the affected villages and rehabilitation sites along with Union Minister Meira Kumar and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chauhan. The team would take note of the shortcomings described by the NBA in its memorandum to the Prime Minister. Mr. Soz said the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government's commitment to ensure that rehabilitation was done fully and satisfactorily in consonance with the Narmada award and Supreme Court orders.

The NBA also came out with a statement, which demanded that the dam construction be halted immediately. It wanted the team that visits the affected areas in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat to make its report public immediately, latest by April 9. "Till then Ms. Patkar and her colleagues would remain on indefinite hunger strike."

Massive support

Two more persons joined the fast on Monday night. There was a massive support from people from all walks of life, including Sharad Yadav, Surendra Mohan, Arundhati Roy, Vandana Shiva, Rajinder Singh, Prabhash Joshi, B.D. Sharma, Abani Roy, Mohini Giri, Primila Loomba, Swami Agnivesh, B.N. Yughandar, Mungekar, Vimal Thorat and Raj Babbar.

The CPI(M) urged the Government to suspend the Narmada Control Authority's decision to raise the dam height.

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