New Delhi: The Sardar Sarovar dam’s supporters say it will bring in power, water and development. The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) says it will harm environment and displace people. The two sides of the story:
Narmada Valley Project began in 1946; plan is to build 30 large, 135 medium and 3,000 small dams. Gujarat, MP, Rajasthan and Maharashtra involved in the project
Govt claims dams will provide water and electricity; opponents say project is unjust, expensive and the dams will be dangerous
The Sardar Sarovar dam on the eastern edge of Gujarat is the largest of the 30 large dams. It’s meant to provide water in Kutch, Saurashtra and North Gujarat. The NBA says dam is too expensive, won’t help
Work on the dam was stopped from 1995 to 1999 on the basis of a NBA petition. In Februay 1999, the Supreme Court allowed Gujarat to resume work and raise height dam from 80.30 metres to 85 metres. Big setback to NBA.
The government recently decided to raise the dam’s height from 110 to 121 m. Dam will displace more than 320,000 people, say NBA activists
March 29: Medha Patkar and two activists start hunger strike near Jantar Mantar
April 3: Union water resources minister Saifuddin Soz meets activists, urges them to call off fast
April 4: Soz meets Medha again, says three ministers will visit dam site
April 5: Patkar is taken to hospital forcibly.
April: Police file FIR against Patkar
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