Those displaced for construction of the Tehri dam have demanded land rights without further delay. Along with the Tehri dam displaced, the Matu Jansangathan has written to the Chief Minister Harish Rawat seeking redress of various issues.
According to Vimal Bhai of Matu Jansangathan, "The displaced of Tehri HEP are being sent to Pathri parts I-IV at Haridwar, in the name of rehabilitation since 1979. Around 40 villages are set up at this place. However, the oustees have not yet got their land rights to the lands they were rehabilitated on. This prevents these people from benefiting from any Government schemes and subsidies. The oustees cannot even apply for bank loans, as they have no property to show or even documents to show that they live here. According to the policy of Ministry of Power, oustees should have been provided free electricity but even after paying they do not have adequate power supply. Health facilities, higher education, transport, roads and even temples are still missing after 35 years of displacement. The State Government should utilise the money earned from power generation at Tehri HEP for the welfare of people displaced by the project," he said.
The project displaced and Matu Jansangathan have demanded that the displaced be accorded land rights as mentioned in Sankramani Z A category K. They have stated, "If there is an issue of forest land, the State Government needs to tackle it with the Centre and forest department but the land rights to the people need to be immediately given.
Therural locations where the displaced have been resettled should be declared revenue villages immediately. Free electricity should be provided to these villages as per the guidelines of the Energy Ministry. Education, health, transport, irrigation and drinking water facilities should be provided immediately to these villages. For all these works, associations of the displaced should be assigned the responsibility for quality management and better monitoring. Because of displacement and 35 years of unavailability of basic amenities, we've remained socially, politically, economically and educationally backward.
Therefore, Pathri part I-IV should be declared backward regions constitutionally. The State and Central Governments should work in coordination to accomplish these works. Before making dams, there is a need to regulate the displacement, rehabilitation and environmental concerns of the old projects," they have stressed.