The Hindu : M.P. Govt. failed to honour commitment: Patkar

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Monday, Jun 17, 2002

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M.P. Govt. failed to honour commitment: Patkar

By Our Staff Correspondent

BHOPAL JUNE 16. The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader, Medha Patkar, has alleged that the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Digvijay Singh, does not want to rehabilitate those affected by the Man project in the Narmada valley by honouring the "land for land'' policy.

She was addressing presspersons here on the 33rd day of the NBA agitation and 27th day of the fast by four activists demanding proper rehabilitation before the submergence of the Man dam-affected villages with the onset of monsoon.

Ms. Patkar said the Digvijay Singh Government had failed to honour its commitment and the agreement that had been projected on paper with regard to the dam.

When the State Government had failed to rehabilitate a few hundred persons being affected by the Man dam how can it claim to rehabilitate thousands being displaced by the Sardar Sarovar and other big dams in the Narmada valley, she asked. The Government was "totally insensitive".

On the "total absence of dialogue'' on the part of the Congress Government, Ms. Patkar said it was behaving as if it was going to face the NBA and not the Bharatiya Janata Party in the next election.

Referring to some letters written by Mr. Singh to few eminent personalities on the issue of the Man dam-affected people, she said "why is he not talking directly to us?'' Mr. Singh had `refused' to open a dialogue. The affected people were only demanding proper rehabilitation.

The issue was also being taken up at various levels within the Congress party, she said adding that it would have to take a stand in this regard. To a pointed question, she said that the Chief Minister would have to respond to leaders in his party but "it was an irony that he was responding with false details."

Ms. Patkar said that the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary had been served with notices and they would be taken to court if the affected villagers were not rehabilitated properly.

Addressing presspersons at the dharna site, the NBA leader, Alok Agrawal, said the health of three of the four activists, who had gone underground and were continuing with their fast, was deteriorating. Ram Kuvar, a young tribal woman from Khedi village, was critical.

Mr. Agrawal said that the Bhopal district Magistrate had sent him a letter yesterday saying that he should get the activists admitted in hospital. Mr. Agrawal said he wrote to the Collector saying that that the activists had voluntarily gone on fast and would end it if their demand for proper rehabilitation was met. They had gone underground because of police high-handedness, Mr. Agrawal alleged.

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M.P. Govt. failed to honour commitment: Patkar