Sardar Sarovar affected adivasis, farmers, labourers and all landless communities in Narmada Valley struggled as non-violent satyagrahis and achieved their right to rehabilitation, as right to life and livelihood. The landless, women landholders, major sons, fish workers, forest dwellers, potters, etc. also got included through liberalised state policies in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, as a result of legal and mass actions. About 50000 families have been rehabilitated over the years. However, there are still a few hundred Sardar Sarovar Project affected families in Maharashtra and Gujarat, while thousands in Madhya Pradesh, who are yet to be rehabilitated.
Beyond all this, violating the Narmada Tribunal Award, a law, and policy, Back Water levels were revised for upstream villages and one township in the plains of Nimad, Madhya Pradesh and 15946 families were excluded from the list of eligible families whose houses were acquired, but they got devastated – their houses, all their belongings, getting damaged; cattle and humans facing death!! They received some relief amount after struggle and dialogue with officials, but full compensation is not received yet!
The reason also was, on 16th September 2023, the gates of Sardar Sarovar were not opened, till the celebration of the Prime Minister’s birthday was over, on September 17th!! This resulted in massive destruction in the upstream, Madhya Pradesh and some villages in Maharashtra and Gujarat as also in villages and cities in the downstream, – houses, shops, farms, temples, etc. in 3 districts of Gujarat.
It is in this context that Narmada Bachao Andolan has had many meetings with the highest officials in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, but the remaining work on Rehabilitation is not completed on war footing.
With the 2024 monsoon at the doorstep, we begin WITH THE NEXT STEP…..of Satyagraha.
