Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Urgent alert: Narmada oustees need your support

From: Narmada Bachao Andolan
2, Sai Nagar, Mata Chowk, Khandwa, M.P
Tel: 0733-2228418, 09425394606. 09425928007
E-mail: nbakhandwa@gmail.com

ACTION ALERT!

Oustees of Omkareshwar and Indira Sagar dam fighting for their rights
and life need your support
Oustees standing in dam water for last 5 days

Dear Friends,

The oustees of the Omkareshwar and Indira Sagar dam in the Narmada
valley in Madhya Pradesh, who are fighting for their rights and their
life are in the need of your urgent support. The Government and the
company NHDC Limited which has built these dams are illegally and in
violation of the Orders of the High Court and Supreme Court raising the
water level in these dams, causing submergence of lands and houses of
thousands of oustees without rehabilitation. 34 oustees of Omkareshwar
dam along with senior activist of Narmada Bachao Andolan Chittaroopa
Palit have been on "Jal-Satyagraha" and are standing in the Omkareshwar
dam water for last 5 days. Many of these jal satyagrahies have developed
blisters in their feet. In the Indira Sagar dam area also today Jal
Satyagraha has started at 3 places in the rising water of the dam.

OMKARESHWAR DAM

In May 2011, the Apex Court ruled that the authorities are obliged to
allot a land for land and a minimum of 2 ha. of land, well in advance of
the completion of dam construction. However, although an entire year has
passed since the judgment, the State has failed to allot land to the
over 2500 land-holder families. It may noted that recently even the
Grievance Redressal Authority has said in its orders that the
rehabilitation policy has not been followed and all the oustees of
Omkareshwar dam should be given land in lieu of land. Over 1000 families
remain to be allotted even house-plots. Various other entitlements
remain to be provided.

Yet, the State Government and the project authorities have announced
that they intend to raise the water level of the Omkareshwar dam to 193
meters from the earlier level of 189 meters and on 25th August, 2012
when the authorities raised the level of the reservoir by 1.5 meters,
the oustees started Jal Satyagraha and since then they are standing in
the water of Omkareshwar dam.

INDIRA SAGAR DAM

Similarly, in the Indira Sagar dam area also thousands of oustees are
yet to be given land and other rehabilitation entitlements. There are
orders of Supreme Court and High Court that the water level in Indira
Sagar dam cannot be raised beyond level of 260 meters. In spite of this,
the government has started raising the water level beyond 260 meters. In
protest, Jal Satyagraha has started today at three places in the Indira
Sagar dam submergence areas in villages Khardana, Badgaon Mal and
Badkhaliya of Districts Harda and Khandwa.

The oustees of the Omkareshwar and Indira Sagar dam urgently need your
support.

We request you to :

Write to Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh and Collector, Khandwa
asking him to bring the water level down to 189 meters in Omkareshwar
dam and 260 meters in Indira Sagar dam and to rehabilitate all the
oustees by giving them land and other rehabilitation
entitlements.(Petitions are attached, pl. send e-mail, and fax)
Come to the Narmada Valley and join the Jal Satyagraha of the oustees.
Hold demonstration/other programmes in support of Jal Satyagraha.

Thank you for your support,
In solidarity,
Alok Agarwal, Radheshyam Tirole, Sakubai, Radhabai

Note : Khandwa is on Delhi-Mumbai, Howrah- Mumbai rail line. 3 hrs by
road from Indore, 4 hrs by train from Bhopal

Contacts : Alok Agarwal (094259-28007, 09009710068), Chittaroopa Palit
(09425394606), Gulabchand (09424524638), Khandwa office : 0733-2228318

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To,
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan,
Chief Minister,
Government of Madhya Pradesh,
Vallabh Bhawan,
Bhopal
Fax: 91-755-2441781, 2540501,
E-mail: cm@mp.nic.in

Subject : Urgent action regarding oustees of Omkareshwar and Indira
Sagar Dams.

Dear Sir,

We have learnt with deep shock that the water level in Omkareshwar and
Indira Sagar dams in the Narmada Valley have been illegally raised
causing submergence of numerous lands and houses of oustees of these
dams. Oustees of these dams have not been rehabilitated and resettled as
per rehabilitation policy by giving them agricultural land and other
rehabilitation entitlements. Although the Supreme Court has clearly
ordered that these oustees have to be rehabilitated 6 months before
submergence, thousands of families who are yet to be rehabilitated are
now being submerged in complete violation of Supreme Court and High
Court orders.

We have also learned that many oustees have been standing in Omkareshwar
dam water and also in Indira Sagar dam, demanding reduction in water
level and rehabilitation before submergence. It is extremely disturbing
that the oustees have to embark on Jal Satygraha to get their due
rehabilitation rights.

We, therefore request you to immediately order reduction in water level
in Omkareshwar dam to 189 meters and in Indira Sagar Dam to 260 meters
and rehabilitate all the oustees by giving agricultural land and other
rehabilitation entitlements.

Thanking you,
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To,
The Collector,
District Khandwa,
Khandwa,
Madhya Pradesh.
Phone : 91-733-2224153(O), 91-733-2226666(O), 91-733-2223333(R);Fax :
91-733-2224233
E-mail: dmkhandwa@mp.nic.in

Subject : Urgent action regarding oustees of Omkareshwar and Indira
Sagar Dams.

Dear Sir,

We have learnt with deep shock that the water level in Omkareshwar and
Indira Sagar dams in the Narmada Valley have been illegally raised
causing submergence of numerous lands and houses of oustees of these
dams. Oustees of these dams have not been rehabilitated and resettled as
per rehabilitation policy by giving them agricultural land and other
rehabilitation entitlements. Although the Supreme Court has clearly
ordered that these oustees have to be rehabilitated 6 months before
submergence, thousands of families who are yet to be rehabilitated are
now being submerged in complete violation of Supreme Court and High
Court orders.

We have also learned that many oustees have been standing in Omkareshwar
dam water and also in Indira Sagar dam, demanding reduction in water
level and rehabilitation before submergence. It is extremely disturbing
that the oustees have to embark on Jal Satygraha to get their due
rehabilitation rights.

We, therefore request you to immediately order reduction in water level
in Omkareshwar dam to 189 meters and in Indira Sagar Dam to 260 meters
and to rehabilitate and resettle all the oustees by allotting
agricultural land to them and providing them other rehabilitation
entitlements.

Thanking you,
________________________________________________

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