NARMADA AUR KISAANI BACHAO JUNG STARTED TODAY
 
FARMERS, FISHER PEOPLE, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND WORKERS MARCH FROM BADWANI AND DHAR ON BOTH SIDES OF THE NARMADA, FIRST PUBLIC MEETING IN KHALGHAT THIS EVENING 
 
DEMAND FOR COMPLETE REHABILITATION, REMUNERATIVE PRICE FOR AGRI PRODUCE AND FREEDOM FROM DEBT 
 
Badwani, Madhya Pradesh | 29th May, 2018: Today, several vehicles have left from Jhanda Chowk, Badwani on the banks of the river Narmada. Farmers, workers, fisher people, boatsmen, cattle grazers and artisans are part of this group. United, we who belong to this adivasi area want to save our mother Narmada. 
 
We know why the Narmada has run dry. We know where the water has been diverted. We know that around Sardar Sarovar 13,800 hectares, Indira Sagar 40,000 hectares, and Bargi 8,000 hectares of forest have been submerged. Even today, there are 95,000 big trees in 40 villages in the submergence zone of Sardar Sarovar-if cut, the Narmada valley’s groundwater and soil will be destroyed. 
 
Rampant illegal sand mining in the Narmada valley has also caused the drying of the river. The people are hungry. Not the flood this year, rather, a drought is what the Narmada River has to endure. The people are being tortured. The cycle of flood and drought will ensure the destruction of the farmers, workers, fisher people, adivasis as well as the villagers and townspeople of the valley. This year, every farmer has suffered losses in lakhs of rupees as a result of bad governmental policies. Huge dams built on the Narmada are drawing the life out of the river. In Bharuch, the seawater has entered 60 kms into the river basin. 
 
Further, huge river link projects like Narmada-Gambhir, Narmada-Mahi, Narmada-Kalisindh, Narmada-Chambal, Narmada-Kshipra, Narmada-Parvati,  which divert 15,000 to 20,000 litres of water every second are drastically reducing the water level. This is affecting people at both ends of the river basin. The details of these river link projects have been kept secret from the people of Dhar. The details of each projects should be uploaded and displayed on the state government’s website, according to section 4 of the Right To Information Act. Big industries and industrial zones are being built by the government in the Narmada Valley – in Jabalpur, Seoni, Mandla, Khandwa, Khargone, as well as Badwani and Dhar. 
 
There are several projects that do not even disclose which land will be acquired and for what purpose. The livelihood of farmers has become a losing proposition since thriving farms have been forcibly taken over by misleading them. This is why farmers are demanding complete freedom from debt and remunerative prices for their produce. All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, an alliance of 192 farmers’ organizations, has written to the President demanding a special session of the Parliament discussing farmers’ issues. 
 
We, the farmers of Narmada Valley will continue this struggle at state level. We challenge the corrupts who exploit the common people in the name of progress, development, and ruin our environment and cultural heritage. The rights of the farmers and the rights of the river are intertwined. ‘Narmada Aur Kisani Bachao Jung’ is raising all these issues. 
 
The foot march will start on 2nd June from Sehore, reaching Bhopal on 4th June for the People’s Tribunal. On 31st May, there will be public demonstration in front of the Narmada Control Authority. 
 
 
Dr. Vinod Yadav, Bhagirath Dhangar, Rahul Yadav, Kailash Avasya. Himshi Singh, Mukesh Bhagoriya, Devisingh Tomar, Shyama Bhadane.
Contact – 9179617513, 9867348307

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