The Free Press Journal, May 5 2017, Bhopal: “MP government is just making a fool of people as they cannot settle the displaced population by July 31st and the government will also not be able to pay Rs 60 lakh for 2 hectares of land taken from the people causing displacement of a large number of people. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has not entered into a dialogue for last 15 years and when we tried to talk to him our people were put into jail,” said Medha Patkar while addressing the press at Neelam Park.

The members of Narmada Bachao Andolan encircled Vidhan Sabha in the evening and also signed letter written to the government with their blood to save the rights of villagers affected.

Two thousand people from Narmada valley gathered in complete defiance to illegal decision of Narmada Control Authority to close gates of Sardar Sarovar Dam. They also claim that Narmada Seva Yatra is only a gimmick of the state government and that after the orders given by Supreme Court to pay Rs 60 lakh to about 700 families who did not receive compensation towards land purchase, administration and middlemen nexus is engaged in looting.

 Soumya Dutta, environmentalist said that in the name of producing electricity, dams are being built on rivers but it is the government reports, which says that electricity production is more than the requirement. Green Nobel winner, activist and lawyer Prafulla Samantara said that if needed, they will sit on the gates of Supreme Court to save Narmada and that the sole motive of the government is to give profit to private companies. Members of Narmada Bachao Andolan said that they have gathered to challenge and warn the authorities who are conspiring to illegally close the gates of the dam in the Narmada Control Authority meeting to be held on May 9.
Web: http://www.freepressjournal.in/bhopal/bhopal-mp-government-just-making-fool-of-people-says-medha-patkar/1062909