lambasting the Madhya Pradesh Government for organizing the Global Investors Summit (GIS), Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar said on Wednesday that land has not been allocated to the Sardar Sarovar Project's displaced but Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is announcing that 1.10 lakh acre land bank is available in the state for industrialists.
Patkar while talking to media persons said, “Chouhan assured industrialists that 1.10 lakh acre land is available in the state, of which 15,000 acre land could be acquired with immediate effect. From where did the land bank come when the regime has refused to provide land to displaced families on the pretext of unavailability of land.”
Patkar further said that the government deceived hundreds of families by not providing them arable land and inveigling them to accept special cash rehabilitation package which was described by the Jha Commission as erroneous as it eventually led to corruption and fake registries.
“The dispensation should come out transparently and let everyone know where land is available. What kind of industries are going to come and whether necessary permissions, including from gram sabhas, have been obtained for setting themIJ Hiding the real land bank and reserving it for industries caused the land scam,” Patkar added.
Besides, she pointed out that the government has assured adequate water to industries which would come from the Narmada-Kshipra, the Narmada-Gambhir, the Narmada-Mahi and the Narmada-Kaliasot schemes. She claimed that all these schemes would result in degradation of the River Narmada.
“Union Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave who was present in the GIS where investments to the tune of lakhs of crores were announced should explain whether environmental impact of providing Narmada water to these industries has been assessed,” the NBA leader alleged.
She said that her mindset dovetails with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that tribal folk play an important role in conserving environment. However, governments are themselves are playing a part in destroying it.