AID News for May 20 2004

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AID News for Thu May 20 2004

AID News for Thu May 20, 2004
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AID News for Thu May 20, 2004
Today's Headlines
1) News from Narmada valley
Today's News
1) Narmada Updates
(a) Narmada backtracks Sucheta Dalal - The Indian Express Like several other government owned
entities, the controversial Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) also believed that
the high-interest regime of the 1990s would last forever. Or, maybe it could only attract
funds for the dam project by paying a high interest rate. Hence, its 20 year, secured,
redeemable, deep discount bonds, issued in 1993 paid out a hefty interest and had a one-way
put option for bondholders to withdraw their money at the end of the seventh, 11th and 15th
year. Each bond, purchased at Rs 3,600 was to fetch Rs 1,11,000 on redemption. Investors
exiting at the end of the seventh year and 11th year would get Rs 12,500 and Rs 25,000
respectively.
http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=46590
-- Contributed by Medha Patkar

(b) Statement In Support of The Narmada Bachao Andolan
The decision to raise the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam to 110 mts, without ensuring the
rightful rehabilitation of nearly 12,000 oustee families, is in violation of the fundamental
right to life guaranteed to all citizens.
In Maharashtra, not less than 1500-2000 adivasi families will have their houses ruined and
fields submerged this monsoon due to the Sardar Sarovar Project
The Bhoomi Haq Satyagraha, which is initiated by Narmada Bachao Andolan is to take over unused
government land in Maharashtra in the vicinity of other resettlement sites. The Satyagraha is
aiming at creating a new village Narmada Jeevangaon where adivasis and their supporters from
across the country - activists, artists, engineers, eminent persons and concerned citizens,
will try to build with the support of the people at large a village, initially for 200
families, based on equity and justice.
We support this initiative of the Narmada Bachao Andolan to ensure the rightful rehabilitation
of those affected by the dam project. We urge the Maharashtra government not to see this as a
law and order problem, but deal with deserving care and sensitivity to ensure the livelihood
of adivaisis. We appeal to the governments to legally transfer this land to the adivasis who
have made a claim to the land and extend government services to create a model rehabilitation
site by involving Narmada Bachao Andolan and other civil society groups.
Furthermore, we urge the governments not to permit any further construction of the dam,
without completing first the rehabilitation of all affected adivasis satisfactorily.
Jst. (Retd) Rajindar Sachar, Former Chief Justice, Delhi High Court
Jst. (Retd) Daud, former judge, Mumbai High Court
K.N. Panikar, Vice Chancellor, Sanskrit University, Kaladi, Kerala.
U.R. Ananthamurthy, former President, Kendra Sahitya Academy, Bangalore
Admiral Ramdas, Former Chief of Navy, Mumbai
Vasanthi Devi, Chairperson, Tamilnadu State Commission for Women,
Tamilnadu
M.P. Parameshwaran, Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishad, Kerala
Asghar Ali Engineer, Centre for Study of Society and Secularism,  Mumbai
Surendra Mohan, Former Chairman, Khadi Board, New Delhi
Sharad Pallav, Barrister at Law, Mumbai
Thomas Kocherry, National Fishworkers' Forum, Kerala
Sanjay M.G., National Alliance of People's Movements, Mumbai
Anand Patwardhan, Film Maker, Mumbai
Yogendra Yadav, Director, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies,
Delhi

(c) "We Will Plant Tree on Degraded Forest Land. Forest is Better Protected
by Tribals"
Hundreds of displaced tribals in the Narmada valley continued the Bhoomi Hakk Satyagraha
(Land-right Satyagraha) on fourth day on Monday (May 11). They are demanding the immediate
implementation of the decisions by the Maharashtra government for the resettlement with land
before the monsoon and subsequent submergence threatening their lives due to the raising of
the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam upto 110 meters. They made it clear that, the Government
must come forward with some piece of land where the more than 1500 families could be resettled
before the onset of monsoon, in a fixed time frame. If this was not done, they declared that,
`` There will be no option left for us but to occupy this piece of degraded forest land, as our
villages are bound to be submerged once the dam work reaches 110 meters.''
On Tuesday (May 12), the forest department slammed a notice on Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA),
against entering in the forest land. Medha Patkar in turn alleged that the forest department
had been violating the law and had allowed over 6800 hectates of forest to be drowned in the
dam.
The Satyagraha by over 200 families from the first villages from Maharashtra, threatened with
the Sardar Sarovar dam and its imminent submergence due to the raising of dam height upto 110
m. during this monsoon, along with the activists and supporters of Narmada Bachao Andolan was
launched on May 8, near the forest land between Somaval-Alivihir (Dist. Nandurbar). Despite
heavy downpour for two consecutive nights and the tension created by vested political
interests, the Satyagrahis continued with their non-violent agitation and they have also
started preparing for constuctive work (nav-nirman).
The Maharashtra villagers were compelled to undertake this step as the state government and
administration again and again failed to provide land-based resettlement, despite repeated
assurances, committees and written declarations preceded by number of dharnas (sit-in), fasts,
and negotiations. And the heavy downpour on 7,8 and 9th May confirmed the fear ^Ö if at all
needed ^Ö about the tragedy that awaits them during the monsoon. That is why, they are now
resolute to get the land-based rehabilitation before the monsoon. That is why they have made
clear that tjhey would be compelled to start farming on the degraded forest land, if the
government did not come with suitable chunk of land ^Ö which was assured n-th time.
To alley fear of some of the environmentalists, the NBA made it clear that, `` there is hardly
a tree on this piece of land, which officially belongs to the Forest Department. '' The trees
have been chopped down long ago. The NBA has always maintained that instead of felling trees,
we will plant and rejuvenate new forest, and that is why for this camp we have brought
kerosene and bamboo so that we do not disturb the local ecology. The forest is best preserved,
not by the Forest Department, but by the Adivasis``, it asserted.
The Maharashtra police and administration paraded the some tribals from adjoining areas to
oppose the Narmada tribals. These tribals, instigated by the local politician of the Bharatiya
Janata Party and encouraged by the police and administration to portray the Satyagraha merely
as tribal versus tribal feud. The NBA has made it clear that the Narmada tribals do not wish
to fight with their tribal brethren and together they should fight with the government for the
land rights and titles. The state government, if it wishes, should other suitable and large
chunk of land, for a community based resettlement of all affected villagers according to the
provisions of the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal (NWDT).
Nav-Nirman
The displaced tribals are determined to get the land ^Öbased resettlement at least at this
juncture and establish the Narmada Jeevan Gaon (Narmada Village for Life). Veteran social
worker and former bureaucrat R.V. Bhuskute started his training in land mapping, surveying and
demarcation. The team of the Masum, a people^Ņs health organization, held the camp for
women^Ņs health and other ailments. Activities are going on regarding the education and
house-construction. The Andolan has been trying to develop all these constructive activities
on the lines of alternative view of development. Number of supporters from other parts of
Maharashtra and India are joining them to help them to re-start the life. A team of activists
from anti-Coca-Cola struggle in Plachimada (Kerala) and comrades from Delhi, Madhya Praedsh,
Delhi and other parts of Maharashtra are with them. The villagers of Somaval resettlement
site, the earlier re-settlers from the Narmada valley, have been providing all solidarity and
support for their brethren from their own villages and are part of their struggle for gaining
their rights.
Background
Over 1, 500 from Maharashtra and 10,000 families from Madhya Pradesh are in the submergence
zone of 110 m. Despite the repeated attempts by the Andolan like like dharna and indefinite
fast in Nashik in May 2003 or in January 2004 at Mumbai, and inspite of recommendations by
state government appointed committees like Justice Daud committee, Task Force Committee, there
is practically no progress on resettlement count. Maharashtra government has avoided
implementation of the Cabinet's own decisions taken on January 21 and 28, whereby the state
was to update its records including the left out families and not to allow the dam height to
go beyond 100m unless rehabilitation work was completed. When adequate land is not yet
identified, records not updated, and roads not built, there is no way the governments could
save the affected families^Ņ houses, villages, from drowning and devastation in this very
monsoon.
Narmada valley people are determined to assert and gain their rights and to usher in the new
life, alternative development. The people in the Narmada valley call unto all the people and
organizations, who have faith in humanity, equality and democracy, to support them from
various parts and join the new endeavour of Jeevan Gaon in the various facets of life.
Prominent Support
Meanwhile, prominent citizens including former high court judges Rajinder Sachar, S.M. Daud,
litterateur U.R. Ananthmurthy,K.N. Panikkar, M.P. Parameswaran (Kerala Sastra Sahitya
Parishad), political scientist Yogesndra Yadav, former navy chief Admiral Ram Das, renowned
secular activist and scholar Asgar Ali Engineer, film maker Anand Patwardhan, veteran
political ideologue Surendra Mohan and others expressed full support to the Land Right
Satyagraha. In a statement they urged the Maharashtra government not to see this as a law and
order problem, but deal with care and sensitivity to ensure the livelihood of Adivasis. `` We
appeal to the governments to legally transfer this land to the Adivasis who have made a claim
to the land and extend government services to create a model rehabilitation site by involving
Narmada Bachao Andolan and other civil society groups'' they said. They also urged the
governments not to permit any further construction of the dam, without completing first the
rehabilitation of all affected adivasis satisfactorily.
-- Contributed by Suniti S.R., Shyam Patil, Sanjay Sangvai
(d) Press Note: May 19th, 2004: Senior Officials visit the Narmada oustees at Satyagraha site
Directives to the district officials to work at war footing with NBA
Today (May 19th) at the site of Bhoomi Haq Satyagraha(Agitation for Land Rights) the senior
officials including K.S. Vatsa, Secretary Rehabilitation, Kishre Gajjbhiya, the Divisional
Commissioner, the Collector Nandurbar and other officials concerned with Sardar Sarovar
Project held 4 hours discussions which was fruitful and gave an impetus to the otherwise non
participatory process of rehabilitation planning and implementation. Having assessed every
list which was incomplete and full of mistakes the officials directed the district
administration urgent steps towards correction and completion of the village-wise lists of the
oustees, with fullest possible participation of the Narmada Andolan. The same team of
officials will hold the next review meeting on May 27th at the Satyagraha site itself.
The discussions focused on the assessment of the extent of implementation of the cabinet
decisions of January 21st led to a clear conclusion that there was an unjustifiable delay in
finalising the record which would give the final number of Project Affected Families to be
used as a basis for rehabilitation planning. The left-outs, who number hundreds, are adivasis
who cant survive without land for rehabilitation they are entitled to. The seniors took a
stock of the situation and realising the enormous scale of impact this monsoon as also the
large amount of pending work,  and directed that steps should be taken at war-footing within
next week or two.
It has once again became clear to all the parties to the debate and dialogue that not less
than 1200 to 1500 adivasi families in Maharashtra state alone will face submergence of their
houses, fields, forest and land adequate and appropriate is still not offered to them. The
Secretary Rehabilitation, who represented Maharashtra at the interstate level meetings held in
January and March, to decide raising of the dam height from 100 to 110 mts, was strongly
questioned as to ho could he not oppose the decision. It was obvious from the records
presented by Yogini Khanolkar, Gitanjali and other activists that the incomplete list and
underestimation of the number of PAFs that was presented led to the situation of crisis for
the adivasis not just legal but human.
The Satyagrahi adivasis are not being shown private land in big chunks which they would
inspect and accept or reject. Keshav Sikka Vasave was critical of the undue delay in the same.
If not found to be adequate, the officials agreed to make a proposal for denuded forest land, 
in lieu of 1452 ha deforested / diverted in 1990 itself but not distributed to the PAFs,
remaining unused. The activists including Noorji Kalsha and Vanaka Detka, with Medha Patkar
expressed dissatisfaction over the fact that inspite of the state cabinets decision to send a
proposal to the Central Government, within  15 days after January 20th the same was not made.
The adivasis who are fully participating in inspecting land and planning villagewise
rehabilitation, are determined to continue the Satyagraha till all issues are resolved and
action taken. They have demanded an urgent meeting of the Planning Committee at the site, at
the earliest. The discussion ended with a slogan,  No land, No dam!
Gitanjali Chawan Yogini Khanolkar
(e) MAH. OFFICIALS COULD NOT SHOW CULTIVABLE LAND TO TRIBALS EVEN AT 11th
HOUR:RESETTLEMENT ON WAR FOOTING NEEDED: SATYAGRAHA CONTINUES
On May 20, the fourteenth day of the Bhoomi Haq Satyagraha (Land Rights Satyagraha) by the
displaced tribals of the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) in Maharashtra in Nandurbar district,
the government could not show the cultivable resettlement lands even for the limited number of
oustees despite the discussions and assurances by the senior state officials including K.S.
Vatsa, Secretary Rehabilitation, Kishor Gajjbhiye, the Divisional Commissioner, the Collector
Nandurbar and others.
The discussions were held on May 18 at the Satyagraha place near village Somaval, in which the
officials assured to expedite the resettlement and planning and implementation. After
assessing the every list which was incomplete and full of mistakes the officials directed the
district administration urgent steps towards correction and completion of the village-wise
lists of the oustees, land identification with fullest possible participation of the Narmada
Bachao Andolan. The same team of officials will hold the review meeting on May 27 at the
Satyagraha site itself.
However, after the tribals visited some of the private lands earmarked for purchase by the
government for the purpose of resettlement, it was found that either the lands were
uncultivable, without any facility for irrigation or the private owners were not ready to sell
these lands to the government. One such instance was at the village Kalambsare, where the
administration claimed the availability of land on a large scale. There the survey teams of
oustees found that the farmers were not prepared to sell their lands. The lands are spread out
in fragments and no village site can be accommodated there. If such is the case with the
availability of private lands, why can^Ņt the state government pursue its own cabinet decision
provide the degraded forest land for the resettlement of all the oustees a in one group, as
per provisions in the Narmada water Dispute Tribunal (NWDT), the tribals ask.
Despite all the cooperation from the NBA , the government has been lethargic and the entire
process lacks any political or administrative will. While the government has shown the land,
which was uncultivable and worse, not at all available, it is dragging its feet regarding
allotting and resettling the people on the land at Vadchchil, which the people have already
chosen and government too had agreed. People from Nimgavhan, Surung and Comkhedi are to be
resettled here. Similar is the fate of the land at Javda village. The administration has not
yet completed the lists of the ^Ńdeclared^Ņ oustees. The NBA calls upon the state government
to complete the resettlement on war footing of the tribal families who will be affected by 110
meters of the dam during the monsoon of 2004.
The discussions
The discussions focused on the assessment of the extent of implementation of the cabinet
decisions of January 21 led to a conclusion that there was an unjustifiable delay in
finalising the record which would give the final number of Project Affected Families to be
used as a basis for rehabilitation planning. The left-outs, whose number is in hundreds, are
adivasis who cannot survive without land for rehabilitation they are entitled to. The senior
officers took stock of the enormity of the scale of impact this monsoon as also the large
amount of pending work, and directed that steps should be taken at war-footing within next
week or two. It has once again became clear that not less than 1200 to 1500 adivasi families
in Maharashtra state alone will face submergence of their houses, fields, forest and land
adequate and appropriate is still not offered to them during this year^Ņs monsoon. The
Secretary Rehabilitation, who represented Maharashtra at the interstate level meetings held in
January and March 2004 which decided raising of the dam height from 100 to 110 m, was strongly
questioned as to how could he not oppose the decision. It was obvious from the records
presented by Yogini Khanolkar, Gitanjali and other activists that the incomplete list and
underestimation of the number of PAFs that was presented led to the situation of crisis for
the Adivasis not just legal but human.
Senior activist Keshav Sikka Vasave was critical of the undue delay in finding land for
resettlement. If not found to be adequate, the officials agreed to make a proposal for denuded
forest land, in lieu of 1452 ha deforested / diverted in 1990 itself but not distributed to
the PAFs, remaining unused. The activists including Noorji Kalsha and Vanaka Detka, with Medha
Patkar expressed dissatisfaction over the fact that in spite of the state cabinets decision to
send a proposal to the Central Government, within 15 days after January 20th the same was not
made. The adivasis who are fully participating in inspecting land and planning villagewise
rehabilitation, are determined to continue the Satyagraha till all issues are resolved and
action taken. They have demanded an urgent meeting of the Joint Resettlement Planning
Committee at the site, at the earliest.
Geetanjali Chavhan Yogini Khanolkar

---
That's it for the day, folks!
Arun Sripati
Just Another Quote:
It's hard to wake up someone who pretends to sleep.
-- Saying from the Narmada Valley

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