Narmada Bachao Andolan: Noam Chomsky Extends Support to the Displaced Locals

As the indefinite fast is underway in Narmada valley in Madhya Pradesh against the closure of gates of Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat, activists and scholars across the world including American historian and philosopher Noam Chomsky have come out with their support of outstees.

Chomsky has extended his support by endorsing an online petition, which seeks PM Modi’s intervention in ensuring justice for those whose livelihood and day-to-day lives, are now threatened due to the dam project. Chomsky has remarked that meeting the rightful demands of the people is “essential to ensure the faith of people in non-violent, democratic and constitutional governance and struggle for their rights.”

“I, on behalf of the people of Narmada valley, now appeal to you for immediate attention and intervention to save the people threatened by submergence”, Chomsky added.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) has also issued a press statement on Tuesday, demanding proper rehabilitation for affected.

“Arrangements for more than 40,000 families of the affected have not been completed. Peasants have not got any compensation. No provision at all has been made for compensation to agricultural workers, shopkeepers, fishermen and potters”, said the statement.

Their statement also mentioned that, the implementation of project had happened due to political pressure and compulsions of the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections. On Monday, as a major relief to the protesters of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), the Supreme Court heard the serious concerns over massive displacements due to the project. The Chief Justice of India will be hearing Sardar Sarovar project-related cases on August 8, 2017.  It will include NBA’s plea, which says that there cannot be any forcible displacement, full compliance to the orders by the Supreme Court.

A Writ Petition under the Article 32 was filed by the several others, including Justice Panachand Jain, Hanan Mollah, Kuldipnayar, Aruna Roy, Manoranjan Mohanti and Annie Raja, with bid a to save all the displaced farmers. The petition was listed before the Justice R. Nariman and Justice S Kaul and it was then forwarded to the bench of Chief Justice whose order of February 8, 2017, is under reference.

The deadline given by the Supreme Court for the dam-affected families in the Narmada valley ended on Monday. While the state government insisted that the Supreme Court reject the petition seeking the stay on eviction, the NBA activists spread the word, that the court had extended the deadline to August 8, as tension prevailed in certain areas in Dhar and Badwani districts.

On February 8, a Supreme Court order had asked the Madhya Pradesh government to complete the resettlement of all oustees by July 31. But none of the resettlement sites are ready and people cannot be forced to move out of their villages and live on the streets.

Meanwhile, the indefinite fast of Medha Patekar and others on the banks of river Narmada has entered the sixth day. People are protesting against the dam project, which resulted in the forced displacement of two lakh people from 192 villages and one township in Narmada Valley.

On Sunday, a large number of protesters entered the Narmada River and stood in the water for hours in Chindalda village in Dhar district. On the other hand, 10 Ten people, including five women, at Karanja area in Barwani held a symbolic protest by posing as dead, at Karanja area in Barwani, with white bed sheets covering their bodies.

Wondering the about the government’s stand the stands of government, Medha Patkar said “A major part of Madhya Pradesh would fall in the submerged area with the increase in dam’s height. The government is planning resettlement in areas which are muddy; there is no facility available… how people and livestock would survive.”

“The Madhya Pradesh government has presented false figures and provided wrong information in the Supreme Court. The apex court’s instructions are also not being followed,” Patkar added.