Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) founder Medha Patkar on Wednesday alleged that no progress has been made on the relief and rehabilitation front of the Sardar Sarovar Dam oustees as promised by the Congress Government in Madhya Pradesh following the six-day dharna staged by the dam-affected persons in Bhopal last month.
While talking to mediapersons here, Patkar claimed that Narmada Valley Development (NVD) Minister Surendra Singh Baghel had discussed various issues at length during the dharna and several of these issues are pending with the law ministry and required urgent action which did not take place.
Narrating ordeal of the oustees are subjected to, the NBA founder said hundreds of families are forced to live in makeshift sheds and their kids are deprived of education and employment opportunities.
There are farmers whose land has been submerged completely or reduced to an island but despite their heavy losses, no compensation has been disbursed to them, she added saying surveys and disbursement of compensation was to be done within a month under RBC rules but nothing happened.
Despite rehabilitation works for farmers, labourers, fishermen, boatmen, potters and others yet to be ensured, the dam has been filled upto 137 metre level, claimed the senior activist who had led hundreds of affected persons’ stage dharna at Narmada Valley Development Corporation office last month.
The dharna had ended after State Government acceded to certain demands and promised to follow up action on others. For discussing pending works of rehabilitation and resettlements, the Chief Ministers of four states concerned including MP Chief Minister Kamal Nath, were required to meet as on Oct 24, 2019 in accordance with Supreme Court orders but it is yet to happen till date, affirmed the NBA leader.