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Medha plans 'satyagraha'

By Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI JUNE 27. The Narmada Bachao Andolan leader, Medha Patkar, today declared that she would launch a `satyagraha' against the forcible submergence of the land and habitation of thousands of people this monsoon in the Narmada Valley in the event of increasing the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam in Gujarat, for which clearance has been given.

People to be displaced would face the waters "come what may'' from June 30 at the submergence sites of Domkhedi (Maharashtra) and Jalsindhi (Madhya Pradesh) located on either side of the river, she said.

"Just to give you an idea of the total area under submergence, let me tell you that it will be as vast as the area between Delhi and Agra,'' she said, adding that the 17-year NBA struggle had reached its peak.

The Narmada Control Authority, chaired by the Water Resources Secretary, gave its approval last month for raising the height of SSP, despite Maharashtra's plea to stay the decision till it completed the rehabilitation of the displaced people at the then height of 90 meters. The NCA allowed the Gujarat Government to raise the dam's height to 95 meters before this monsoon, increasing the area under submergence without the affected people being rehabilitated. The project displaces about 40,000 people in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

Ms. Patkar said that the Madhya Pradesh Government had given 5 to 15 days to the villagers and tribals to vacate their homes. The alternate land that had been offered to them was a barren hillock. Police had taken positions in the villages to force people out at gun point. "With the Supreme Court divided on a verdict on people's plight, where can they go,'' she asked.

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